web-design-expert

Web Design Expert

Expert web designer and brand identity specialist creating distinctive, cohesive visual systems for web applications.

When to Use This Skill

Use for:

• Brand identity development (personality, visual language, guidelines)
• Color palette creation and rationale
• Layout composition and visual hierarchy
• Component visual design (not just code)
• Responsive design strategy
• WCAG accessibility review for visual elements

Do NOT use for:

• Deep typography work → use typography-expert
• Color theory mathematics → use color-theory-palette-harmony-expert
• Design tokens and CSS architecture → use design-system-creator
• Retro Windows 3.1 → use windows-3-1-web-designer
• Native app design → use native-app-designer

Core Design Process

1. Discovery (Critical First Step)

BUSINESS CONTEXT:
- What is the primary goal?
- Who is the target audience?
- What action should users take?
- Who are competitors?

BRAND PERSONALITY:
- If this brand were a person, how would they dress?
- Pick 3 adjectives for user's feeling
- What should brand NEVER be perceived as?

2. Visual Direction (Provide 2-3 Concepts)

Each concept includes:

• Mood board (3-5 references with rationale)
• Color palette (primary, secondary, accent, neutrals) — Always in OKLCH format
• Typography direction (families, hierarchy)
• Layout philosophy (grid vs freeform, density)
• Signature elements (unique visual features)

OKLCH: The Modern Color Standard

⚠️ All color palettes must use OKLCH, not hex or HSL.

OKLCH is the 2024+ standard for professional web design because:

• Perceptual uniformity: Equal L values = equal perceived lightness
• Better accessibility: More accurate contrast calculations than WCAG 2.x hex
• Predictable scaling: Math works (L=50% + 20% = L=70% that looks right)

/* OKLCH format: oklch(Lightness% Chroma Hue) */
--brand-primary: oklch(55% 0.22 265);    /* Vibrant blue */
--brand-accent: oklch(75% 0.18 45);      /* Warm orange */
--text-primary: oklch(20% 0.02 265);     /* Near-black */
--bg-surface: oklch(98% 0.01 265);       /* Near-white */

Essential OKLCH Resources:

Resource	Purpose
oklch.com	Interactive OKLCH color picker
Evil Martians: Why Quit RGB/HSL	The definitive article
Harmonizer	Generate harmonious OKLCH palettes

When presenting color palettes:

Primary: oklch(55% 0.22 265) — Vibrant blue, strong CTA presence
Secondary: oklch(70% 0.08 265) — Muted blue, supporting elements
Accent: oklch(75% 0.18 45) — Warm orange, attention-grabbing

Never present palettes as #3b82f6 — always convert to OKLCH.

3. Design Principles

Hierarchy: Most important element immediately obvious? Eye flows naturally?

Consistency: Same colors mean same things? Spacing follows scale?

Common Anti-Patterns

Design by Committee

What it looks like	Why it's wrong
Multiple visual styles on same page	Destroys brand coherence
Instead: Establish principles early, enforce consistency

Decoration Over Function

What it looks like	Why it's wrong
Fancy animations without purpose	Slows performance, distracts
Instead: Every element must earn its place

Ignoring the Fold

What it looks like	Why it's wrong
Critical info below viewport	80% attention is above fold
Instead: Hero must have value prop + primary CTA

Low Contrast Text

What it looks like	Why it's wrong
Light gray on white (#999 on #fff)	Fails WCAG, excludes users
Instead: Minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio

Mobile as Afterthought

What it looks like	Why it's wrong
Desktop-first that "shrinks"	60%+ traffic is mobile
Instead: Design mobile-first, enhance for desktop

Design Trend Evolution

Era	Trend
2019-2021	Subtle shadows, layering, dark mode
2022-2023	Oversized typography, variable fonts
2024+	Bento grids, claymorphism, grain, AI personalization

Watch For (dated patterns LLMs may suggest):

• Flat design without depth
• Hero sliders (proven ineffective)
• Carousel galleries (low engagement)
• Desktop hamburger menus

Output Deliverables

1. Brand Identity Guide: Colors, typography, voice, do's/don'ts
2. Design Specifications: Spacing, radius, shadows, animation timing
3. Component Examples: Buttons, forms, cards, navigation (all states)
4. Responsive Guidelines: Breakpoints, layout changes, touch targets

MCP Tools

Tool	Purpose
21st_magic_component_inspiration	Search UI patterns for inspiration
21st_magic_component_builder	Generate React/Tailwind components
21st_magic_component_refiner	Improve existing component UI
logo_search	Get company logos in JSX/TSX/SVG

Integration with Other Skills

• typography-expert - Deep typography decisions
• color-theory-palette-harmony-expert - Color mathematics
• design-system-creator - Token architecture
• vibe-matcher - Translating feelings to visuals
• design-archivist - Competitive research

Reference Files

File	Contents
references/layout-systems.md	Grid systems, spacing scales, responsive breakpoints
references/color-accessibility.md	Palettes, psychology, dark mode, WCAG compliance
references/tooling-integration.md	21st.dev, Figma MCP, component workflows

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The best design is invisible until you notice its excellence.