Elevate Claude's design using skills
Design a skill that automatically activates design principals into Claude’s outputs.
- CategoryPersonal
- ModelSonnet 4.5
- Features
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1
Describe the task
Claude is capable of generating great visual designs when given clear instructions and examples. However, routinely achieving high-quality results often requires detailed prompting and iterative refinements, which can be time-consuming and context-heavy. With Skills, you can package that process once, then activate high quality design thinking quickly in any conversation.
Tell Claude you want to create the ultimate design skill that will elevate any visual work to higher standards. Share what you want included in the skill, like certain frameworks, standards and processes Claude should adhere to when designing outputs.
I need you to create a skill that fundamentally improves the design of any visual output—spreadsheets, presentations, documents, or interactive artifacts. Here's what I need:
The skill should include the full stack of techniques to elevates outputs:
Activation patterns - Deep documentation of the language patterns and psychological mechanisms that trigger excellence. Not just "use quality words" but why identity activation works, how permission granting overcomes satisfaction, when to combine patterns for maximum impact, examples showing patterns in action. The underlying principles, not just surface techniques.
Design standards - What actually makes something visually sophisticated versus generic. Typography principles, color theory, layout sophistication, file-type-specific excellence markers (what makes an Excel file Tier 5 versus Tier 3 in concrete terms - formulas, formatting, interactive elements). Standards specific enough that you know exactly what to improve.
Creation guidance - The actual workflow from concept to completion. How to plan outputs, craft prompts that activate quality, iterate effectively, test and validate, push past first drafts. Excellence requires iteration. Never deliver first-pass work. Include a practical step-by-step process that works.
Evaluation frameworks -A rigorous grading system built into the skill that Claude uses to evaluate its own outputs before delivering them. The framework includes weighted dimensions, concrete criteria for each tier, specific examples across file types, and mathematical scoring. Claude grades each output it creates and iterates until quality thresholds are met.
Quality philosophy - Why certain approaches produce excellence while others produce mediocrity. The psychology of quality, the standards that top firms use, what "portfolio-worthy" actually means across different domains.
Structure this as a proper skill with a SKILL.md and supporting reference files. Make it comprehensive enough that someone could use it to transform every single output from adequate to exceptional. Take your time with this. Give it your absolute best effort.
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Give Claude context
Required context
This workflow leverages Claude's skills system. In Settings > Capabilities > Skills, make sure code execution and file creation is turned on so the ability to create Skills is enabled.
No items found.
Optional context
Turn on Extended Thinking for deeper strategic thinking about design frameworks and quality standards.
Extended Thinking
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What Claude creates
Claude creates a design skill ZIP file with your design processes and techniques packaged into reusable form. Once created, upload it to your Skills library. Once you refer to ‘design excellence’ in a chat, Claude will automatically apply the skill’s visual thinking to whatever you're creating.
From Claude
I'll create a comprehensive design excellence skill that transforms every visual output you create. Let me start by examining the skill creation guidelines to ensure proper structure.
Reading the skill creator guide to understand best practices for creating this brand guideline…
Perfect! I've created a comprehensive design excellence skill that fundamentally improves the quality of any visual output. Here's what I've built:
The Design Excellence Engine
View your skill
What This Skill Provides
This is a complete system for transforming outputs from "functional" to "exceptional" through:
1. Activation Patterns (ACTIVATION_PATTERNS.md)
Deep documentation of the psychological mechanisms that trigger excellence:
- Identity activation: Why thinking as an expert changes output quality (not role-play, actual probability distribution shifts)
- Permission granting: How to overcome "satisficing" (settling for good enough)
- Standard anchoring: Operational definitions of excellence (portfolio-quality, top-tier agency level)
- File-type specific patterns: PowerPoint, Excel, HTML, Documents - each needs different activation
Combination strategies: When and how to use full activation stack vs. light activation
- Design Standards (DESIGN_STANDARDS.md)
Concrete, measurable quality tiers for every file type:
- Five tiers (1-5) for PowerPoint, Excel, HTML, Documents
- Specific markers: What makes something Tier 5 vs Tier 3 in concrete terms
- Excel Tier 5: Error handling, named ranges, dynamic arrays, audit trails, scenario analysis
- PowerPoint Tier 5: Custom graphics, sophisticated typography, mathematical spacing, portfolio-worthy
- Universal dimensions: Typography, color, spacing, hierarchy, polish
Excellence checklists: File-type specific validation
- Evaluation Framework (EVALUATION_FRAMEWORK.md)
Rigorous, mathematical scoring system Claude uses to grade outputs:
Six weighted dimensions: Visual Sophistication (25%), Functional Excellence (20%), User Experience (20%), Professional Completeness (15%), Thoughtful Sophistication (10%), Accessibility (10%)
- Scoring formula: Overall = (VS×0.25) + (FE×0.20) + (UX×0.20) + (PC×0.15) + (TS×0.10) + (A×0.10)
- Quality gates: Overall ≥ 4.2, all dimensions ≥ 4.0 for professional work
- Evaluation templates: By file type with concrete scoring criteria
Calibration examples: What 3.0, 4.0, and 4.5 actually look like
- Creation Workflow (CREATION_WORKFLOW.md)
Step-by-step process from concept to delivery:
- 8-phase system: Activation → Planning → Creation → Evaluation → Improvement → Re-evaluation → Polish → Delivery
Time allocation: 40-50% on iteration (this is where quality happens)
- Workflow variations: Fast draft (3.5+ quality, 30 min), Professional (4.2+, 2-3 hours), High-stakes (4.5+, 3-10 hours)
- Common mistakes: Grade inflation, skipping evaluation, superficial iteration
Iteration strategies: What to do when scores are 3.0-3.5, 3.5-4.0, 4.0-4.2
- Quality Philosophy (QUALITY_PHILOSOPHY.md)
The underlying "why" behind excellence:
- Why quality matters: Credibility, effectiveness, respect, competitive advantage
- Quality mindset: Learnable, measurable, systematic (not talent)
- Sophisticated design principles: Hierarchy, restraint, consistency, detail compounding
- Standards top firms use: McKinsey (PowerPoint), Google (HTML), Goldman Sachs (Excel), NYT (Documents)
Psychology: First impressions (50ms), cognitive load, halo effect
Misconceptions: Quality doesn't take 10x time, users do notice, it's not subjective
How It Works
The mandatory workflow (built into SKILL.md):
- Activate (before creating): Read activation patterns, set expert mindset
- Plan (5-15 min): Understand context, sketch structure
- Create (40-50% of time): Build functional version
- Evaluate (10-15%): Score using framework, identify weaknesses
Improve (30-40%): Fix weaknesses systematically
Polish (5-10%): Elevate remaining details
Verify: Final quality gate check
Deliver: Only when overall ≥ 4.2 and all dimensions ≥ 4.0
Critical rule: Never deliver first-draft work for important outputs.
What Makes This Different
Existing design-amplifier skill:
General design thinking and elevation protocols
Reference-based inspiration
Technique catalog
Subjective quality assessment
Design-excellence-engine:
- Mathematical scoring system with weighted dimensions
- Concrete tier definitions (what makes Excel Tier 5 vs Tier 3)
- Psychological activation patterns (why they work, when to use)
- Mandatory iteration workflow (time-boxed, systematic)
Built-in self-evaluation (Claude grades before delivery)
Context-specific standards (3.5 for drafts, 4.2 for professional, 4.5 for high-stakes)
Usage
Upload this .skill file to Claude and it will automatically activate when you create any visual output. It will:
Internally activate expert mode
Create initial version
Score using the evaluation framework
Identify specific weaknesses
Improve systematically
Re-score to verify ≥ 4.2
Polish final details
Deliver only when quality thresholds met
You see only the final result, not the evaluation process (unless you ask).
The Philosophy
- This skill is built on one core insight: Excellence is systematic, not accidental.
- First drafts are never excellent (iteration is where quality happens)
- Quality is measurable (concrete standards, scored dimensions)
Activation matters (psychological state affects outputs)
The skill provides the complete stack: psychology + standards + measurement + process + philosophy.
This transforms quality from "try to make it good" (vague and unreliable) to "follow the system" (systematic and repeatable).
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Follow up prompts
Continue the conversation with Claude to refine, expand, or explore further.
Test out the skill
Use this skill to evaluate and enhance existing work. Claude can recreate the output by applying the integrated techniques from the skill.
I'm uploading [a presentation/spreadsheet/document/artifact] I created. Use design-excellence skill to improve the quality of the output.
Create skills for specific outputs
While this skill's framework offers intelligent adaptability for various outputs, consider making specialized skills for specific outputs like spreadsheets, presentations, artifacts, or documents.
I want to create a skill that designs high quality excel outputs according to my company’s standards. Using the uploaded screenshots, create a skill that matches what our spreadsheets typically look like so I can apply those standards whenever I say ‘apply my company’s spreadsheet style’.
Customize the skill with your reference examples
Incorporate your quality standards and past examples into the skill instructions or framework. This helps Claude understand your desired output more clearly.
I've been using the design-excellence skill and want to make it more personalized. I'm uploading 3-5 examples of design work I consider exceptional—these represent my quality standards. Update the skill file to incorporate these quality benchmarks as reference files.
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Tricks, tips, and troubleshooting
Evolve the skill through use and refinement
After applying the skill several times, you'll notice patterns: maybe you consistently want bolder color choices, or tighter information density, or specific typography preferences. Use that feedback to update the skill file itself to embed your evolving standards. Add new quality gates that matter to you. Incorporate screenshots of work you love as reference examples. The skill can become more personalized over time.
Combine with other skills for even better results
Design-excellence handles pure visual quality, which means it pairs beautifully with skills focused on content, analysis, or research. Use a research skill to gather data, an analysis skill to generate insights, then apply design-excellence to create a visually stunning report. Or use a writing skill for compelling copy, then design-excellence to format it beautifully in a document or presentation. Skills compose naturally.
Quality standard questions push beyond defaults into intentional choices
The skill forces Claude to evaluate against quality standards and benchmarks. The skill also embeds iteration as a process within the skill, rather than several rounds of prompting. This technique is used to make Claude reject generic choices and opt for more creative and unique decisions.
Ready to try for yourself?
Create your design excellence skill and watch every visual output transform from functional to portfolio-worthy. Build the skill once, then activate world-class design thinking in any conversation
