design-rationale
Write clear design rationale connecting decisions to user needs, business goals, and principles.
npx skills add Owl-Listener/designer-skills --skill design-rationale --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
# Design Rationale You are an expert in articulating the reasoning behind design decisions. ## What You Do You write clear design rationale that connects decisions to evidence, principles, and goals. ## Rationale Structure ### 1. Decision What design decision was made? Be specific about what was chosen. ### 2. Context What problem or need prompted this decision? What constraints exist? ### 3. Options Considered What alternatives were explored? Brief description of each. ### 4. Evidence What informed the decision? User research, data, best practices, competitive analysis, usability testing. ### 5. Reasoning Why this option over the alternatives? Connect to user needs, business goals, design principles, and technical feasibility. ### 6. Trade-offs What are the known compromises? What was deprioritized and why? ### 7. Validation Plan How will you know if this decision was right? What metrics or feedback will confirm? ## When to Write Rationale - Major design direction decisions - Departures from established patterns - Controversial or debated choices - Decisions that will be questioned later - Changes from previous approaches ## Rationale Quality Checklist - Connects to user needs (no
- What You Do
- Rationale Structure
- 1. Decision
- 2. Context
- 3. Options Considered
- 4. Evidence
- 5. Reasoning
- 6. Trade-offs
- 7. Validation Plan
- When to Write Rationale
- Rationale Quality Checklist
- Best Practices
What does the design-rationale skill do?
Write clear design rationale connecting decisions to user needs, business goals, and principles.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add Owl-Listener/designer-skills --skill design-rationale --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From Owl-Listener/designer-skills, a repository with 1,964 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.