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Design Skills Collection

Research, critique, accessibility, journey mapping, and heuristic evaluation skills that turn Claude Code into an informed design partner.

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Design Skills is a collection of Claude Code skills that covers the core disciplines of UX practice. Rather than one monolithic prompt, it ships as separate skill files for user research, design critique, accessibility review, journey mapping, and heuristic evaluation. You install the ones you need and leave the rest.

What each skill does

The user research skill helps you plan studies, write discussion guides, and analyze qualitative data. It knows the difference between generative and evaluative research and will push back if your method does not match your question.

The design critique skill applies established frameworks. When you ask Claude to review a mockup or a live page, it structures feedback around Nielsen’s heuristics, Gestalt principles, and common usability patterns rather than offering vague opinions.

The journey mapping skill walks you through building journey maps from research data. It prompts for touchpoints, emotional states, pain points, and opportunities, then outputs a structured map you can bring into your design tool.

Why it matters

These skills give Claude Code deep context about design methodology. Without them, Claude can write code but has no framework for evaluating whether the resulting interface is usable. With them, Claude becomes a collaborator that understands why a design decision matters, not one that follows instructions blindly.

Frequently asked questions

What design skills are included in this collection?
Design Skills Collection includes five separate skills: user research (planning studies and analyzing data), design critique (structured feedback using Nielsen's heuristics), accessibility review (evaluating inclusive design), journey mapping (building maps from research data), and heuristic evaluation (systematic usability assessment). Install only the ones you need.
How does the design critique skill structure feedback?
The design critique skill applies established frameworks like Nielsen's heuristics and Gestalt principles rather than offering subjective opinions. This gives you structured, methodology-based feedback on mockups and live pages that addresses usability patterns and design principles.
Can I use these skills if I'm not a developer?
Yes. These skills are designed for product designers and non-dev power users. They help you leverage Claude as a design partner for research planning, critique, accessibility checks, and journey mapping—all through conversational prompts without coding knowledge.
What does the journey mapping skill do?
The journey mapping skill guides you through building journey maps from your research data. It prompts you for touchpoints, emotional states, pain points, and opportunities, then generates a structured map you can import into design tools like Figma or Miro.
How does user research skill help with study planning?
The user research skill helps you plan studies, write discussion guides, and analyze qualitative data. It understands the difference between generative research (exploratory) and evaluative research (testing) and will challenge your method if it doesn't match your research question.
Why use these skills instead of asking Claude directly?
These skills give Claude deep context about design methodology. Without them, Claude can generate code but lacks frameworks to evaluate usability. With them, Claude becomes a true collaborator that understands why design decisions matter and applies proven methods consistently.
How do I install Design Skills Collection?
Clone the repository using: git clone https://github.com/cuellarfr/design-skills.git ~/.claude/skills/design-skills. Install the specific skills you need rather than all of them, keeping your toolset focused.

Glossary

Heuristic Evaluation
A usability inspection method where an interface is evaluated against established design principles (heuristics) to identify usability issues systematically, rather than relying on user testing alone.
Generative vs. Evaluative Research
Generative research is exploratory and helps discover user needs and behaviors (e.g., interviews, observations). Evaluative research tests hypotheses and validates solutions (e.g., usability testing, A/B testing).
Journey Map
A visual representation of a user's experience across touchpoints over time, showing emotional states, pain points, and opportunities at each stage of interaction with a product or service.
Nielsen's Heuristics
Ten fundamental usability principles developed by Jakob Nielsen that serve as guidelines for good interface design, including visibility of system status, user control, error prevention, and aesthetic design.
Gestalt Principles
Design rules describing how humans naturally perceive and organize visual elements, including proximity, similarity, continuity, and closure—used to create intuitive, organized interfaces.

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