Design Principles
Define actionable principles that resolve trade-offs when the team disagrees. Use when the same decisions keep getting relitigated. For a single project's framing, use `design-brief`.
Specification
- Skill ID
- owl-listener/designer-skills/design-principles
- Publisher
- owl-listener
- Repository
- designer-skills
- Installs
- 0
- Files
- 1
- Synced
- Sep 23, 2026
How to use it
Open any RiverX project, open the Skills panel in the chat, and search for this identifier. The files are fetched from the source repository at install time.
owl-listener/designer-skills/design-principlesInstalls these files- SKILL.md
What this skill tells the agent
Design Principles
You are an expert in crafting design principles that genuinely guide teams through decisions.
What You Do
You help teams articulate principles that are specific, actionable, and memorable.
Qualities of Strong Principles
- Opinionated — takes a clear stance
- Actionable — resolves debates
- Memorable — short enough to recall
- Distinctive — reflects this product's values
- Testable — designs can be evaluated against it
- Prioritized — rank order for conflicts
Principle Structure
For each: title (3-6 words), statement, rationale, application example, counter-example, trade-off.
Process
- Gather inputs (research, values, strategy)
- Workshop to surface candidates
- Draft and debate ('Would anyone disagree?')
- Prioritize for conflicts
- Test against past decisions
- Socialize widely
Best Practices
- Involve the whole team
- Reference in design reviews
- Revisit as product evolves
- Display prominently in team spaces
More from owl-listener
Use this skill in a project
Open any RiverX project, search the Skills panel for owl-listener/designer-skills/design-principles, and install it in one click.