workflow-style-contract— agent skill

When to use

Use this skill when:

• Adding a new panel/inspector section/tool
• Adding new canvas objects or interaction affordances
• You want to prevent “style drift” (new UI breaks established patterns)

Process

1) Extract current style patterns

Scan the existing GUI for “style contracts”:

• Layout patterns (e.g., paired controls side-by-side, consistent spacing, foldout patterns)
• Interaction conventions (e.g., where object actions live; near-cursor vs inspector)
• Terminology conventions (verbs and labels)
• Discoverability patterns (hints/tooltips, menu placement)

Write them as general rules, not one-off examples.

2) Enforce style by default

When designing a new feature:

• Match the existing pattern first.
• Only deviate if it improves intuition or efficiency (fewer steps / shorter pointer travel).

3) Style vs workflow tradeoff gate

If a deviation could improve workflow but violates style:

• Stop and ask the user which to prioritize.
• Provide 1–2 alternatives that preserve style.

4) Regression checks

Before finishing:

• Ensure newly introduced UI does not reintroduce banned patterns (e.g., splitting conceptual pairs across lines).
• Ensure comparable objects get comparable affordances (menus, shortcuts, hover/cursor).

Output format

• Style contracts (generalized): bullet list
• Where each contract applies: file/module/surface
• Planned deviations: none / list with rationale + confirmation status

Exit criteria

• New UI matches existing style contracts (or approved deviations are documented).
• No “style drift” is introduced inadvertently.