Design the shortest path to value
Make the essential flow understandable before you polish it.
The idea
Design is a sequence of decisions: what a person sees, understands, and can do next. Start with the main task and map the awkward states as carefully as the happy path.
Put it into practice
Sketch the first visit, the main action, and the useful result. Add empty, loading, success, and error states. Ask a person from your audience to attempt the task without explaining the screen.
An empty feedback page can show a short example and a “Paste feedback” action. The result screen needs an editable summary and a clear export action, not a dashboard of unrelated metrics.
Use AI thoughtfully
Give AI a sketch, content hierarchy, accessibility requirements, and the target task. Ask for alternatives and explain the tradeoffs before accepting a layout.
Your checkpoint
Can someone finish the task without your narration, including when something goes wrong?
Write your answer to the checkpoint. Notes stay in this browser.