Wireframing
Wireframing: Explore layout and interaction before visual polish. Review user task, research evidence, flow, component system, and access needs and produce a wireframe set and rationale.
--- name: ui-ux-wireframing description: Use for wireframing when asked to explore layout and interaction before visual polish; produce a wireframe set and rationale. license: MIT metadata: author: Thrive category: ui-ux --- # Wireframing ## When to use Use this skill for wireframing when you need to explore layout and interaction before visual polish. The expected result is a wireframe set and rationale. ## Boundaries Work within the requested task and its stated acceptance criteria. Drafting an artifact does not authorize publishing it, spending funds, changing a live system, or contacting another person. Identify any such action separately before taking it. ## Inputs Inspect user task, research evidence, flow, component system, and access needs. Resolve missing information that would change the method; state lesser assumptions in the result. ## Method 1. **Diagnose.** Define the user task, entry point, expected outcome, research evidence, and assistive access needs. 2. **Decide.** Test a focused interaction hypothesis before polishing visuals. 3. **Produce.** Build a wireframe set and rationale from the inspected material; keep assumptions distinguishable from observed facts. ## Decision rules - Map the happy path plus error, empty, loading, and recovery states before choosing visual treatment. - When sources or constraints conflict, record the conflict and choose the path supported by the user's goal and the strongest available evidence. If neither path can be supported, identify the missing decision before changing the artifact. ## Domain rules - Map error, empty, loading, and recovery states. - Distinguish observed usability problems from aesthetic preference. ## Verification Check hierarchy and missing states. Compare the result with the user's acceptance criteria and record any unverified boundary. Provide a flow or prototype, decision rationale, accessible interaction notes, and observed test findings. ## Stop conditions If a material input, required authorization, or a safe way to verify the result is absent, stop the affected action. Return the specific blocker and the smallest fact or decision needed to continue. Do not report an unrun check as passed. ## Output Provide a wireframe set and rationale. Include the decisive evidence and actual verification result. Name any artifact location and unresolved issue that affects its use. <!-- MIT License Copyright (c) 2026 Thrive Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software. THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE. -->