UI Orchestrator Skill v5.0 - Positive Edition

Mission

Transform generic UI prompts into unique, positively-directed specifications using enterprise-grade Attractor workflow orchestration. Detect trend-trap keywords, map them through the PIVOT MATRIX to radical positive paradigms, apply creative constraints with scoring, and execute with full observability, checkpoint resilience, and human-in-the-loop control.

Core Philosophy: Innovation through affirmative direction, not restrictive negation. Every constraint liberates creativity.

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⚙️ Active Baseline Configuration

Default Dials (adapt based on flags/context):

Dial	Default	Range	Purpose
INNOVATION_STRENGTH	7	1-10	1=Conventional, 10=Radical Breakthrough
PARADIGM_BOLDNESS	8	1-10	1=Established patterns, 10=Entirely new territories
CONSTRAINT_AMBITION	6	1-10	1=Comfort zone, 10=Stretch boundaries
A11Y_EXCELLENCE	9	1-10	1=Basic compliance, 10=WCAG AAA first-class

AI Instruction:

• Adapt these values based on explicit flags (--demo → lower boldness, --full → max strength)
• Task complexity (simple page → strength 5, system → strength 9)
• User expertise (--step mode → strength 7 for learning)
• Production context (--team → strength 8 for enterprise)

Justification:

• Strength 7: Balanced innovation (not reckless, not timid)
• Boldness 8: Push boundaries while remaining usable
• Ambition 6: Challenging but achievable
• A11y 9: Accessibility is non-negotiable (design-taste-frontend principle)

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🎯 Core Workflow with PIVOT MATRIX

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                      UI ORCHESTRATOR v5.0 WORKFLOW                      │
│                         POSITIVE-DIRECTED EDITION                        │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

  1. RECEIVE          Raw prompt from user
       ↓              "Un site futuriste, nuageux et mélancolique"

  2. ANALYZE          Scan for trend-trap keywords
       ↓              → "futuriste" detected ✓
       ↓              → "nuageux" detected ✓
       ↓              → "mélancolique" detected ✓

  3. 🔄 PIVOT         Consult PIVOT MATRIX
       ↓              → Map "futuriste" → "Matte Industrial" paradigm
       ↓              → Map "nuageux" → "Structural Clarity" paradigm
       ↓              → Map "mélancolique" → "Warm Typography" paradigm
       ↓
       ↓              EXPLICITLY SHOW selected paradigms to user ✓

  4. SELECT           Choose 2-4 creative constraints
       ↓              → Score constraints (creativity, difficulty, impact)
       ↓              → Apply paradigm-specific positive directives
       ↓              → Resolve conflicts through synergy scoring

  5. VALIDATE         Validate spec against schema
       ↓              → JSON Schema validation
       ↓              → Verify paradigm alignment

  6. BUILD            Execute with positive directives
       ↓              → Apply Piliers d'Exécution
       ↓              → Use validated component registry
       ↓              → Enforce accessibility standards

  7. EXPLAIN (opt)    Document paradigm choices
       ↓              → Visual decision diagrams

  8. LEARN (opt)      Extract successful patterns
       ↓              → Document paradigm + constraint combos

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🔄 THE PIVOT MATRIX - Trend to Radical Positive Paradigm

Visual Paradigms

WHEN User Says...	THEN Apply This Paradigm	Positive Directives
"futuriste", "cyber", "tech"	Matte Industrial	Flat colors, monospace fonts, jagged borders, grain textures, visible grid lines
"moderne", "sleek", "clean"	Warm Brutalism	Earth tones, bold geometric shapes, raw spacing, oversized typography, paper textures
"épuré", "minimal", "simple"	Maximalist Layering	Rich patterns, overlapping elements, decorative borders, multiple textures, abundant content
"dark mode", "sombre", "dark"	Paper & Ink Light	Pure white backgrounds, sharp black ink, visible grain, print-first aesthetics, high contrast
"coloré", "vibrant", "vivid"	Monochrome Strength	Single color family, value-based hierarchy, tone-on-tone sophistication, duotone accents
"gradient", "dégradé", "smooth"	Hard-Edge Geometry	Flat color blocks, sharp boundaries, abrupt transitions, banded layouts, no blending
"glass", "transparence", "blur"	Solid Substance	Opaque surfaces, visible edges, material presence, layered solids, weight and depth
"arrondi", "soft", "friendly"	Sharp Precision	90° corners, crisp edges, exact alignment, geometric clarity, angular components
"animé", "motion", "dynamic"	Static Composition	Frozen moments, typographic focus, layout strength, no motion needed, readable states
"3D", "depth", "spatial"	Flat Hierarchy	Single-plane design, z-index equality, typographic depth, size-based hierarchy only

Typography Paradigms

WHEN User Says...	THEN Apply This Paradigm	Positive Directives
"Inter", "modern font", "clean"	System Font Diversity	Native OS fonts, platform diversity, SF Pro/Segoe UI/Roboto, no web fonts
"bold", "impact", "strong"	Light & Airy	Thin weights (200-300), generous spacing, breathability, white space dominance
"sans-serif", "modern", "clean"	Serif Character	Georgia/Times/Caslon, editorial tone, print tradition, reading comfort
"variable font", "fluid"	Fixed Family Discipline	Single weight, one style, consistency through layout, no variation
"all caps", "strong titles"	Sentence Case Clarity	Proper capitalization, readable text, natural rhythm, no shouting

Layout Paradigms

WHEN User Says...	THEN Apply This Paradigm	Positive Directives
"hero section", "big header"	Entry Diversity	Multiple entry points, no dominant hero, distributed focus, grid-first
"card grid", "card layout"	List Narrative	Vertical lists, full-width items, story flow, infinite scroll, table alternatives
"centered", "aligned", "balanced"	Asymmetric Energy	Off-center composition, weighted edges, tension layouts, optical imbalance
"responsive", "mobile-first"	Desktop Primacy	Full-width layouts, mouse-driven navigation, keyboard-first, generous space
"grid system", "columns"	Organic Flow	Ragged edges, natural content width, editorial rhythm, breaking the grid
"sticky header", "fixed nav"	Scroll Freedom	No fixed elements, pure scrolling, natural content flow, stateless navigation

Content Paradigms

WHEN User Says...	THEN Apply This Paradigm	Positive Directives
"lorem ipsum", "placeholder"	Real Content First	Actual user scenarios, realistic data, edge cases included, truth in content
"John Doe", "Acme Inc"	Specific Identity	Named personas, real companies, specific contexts, cultural authenticity
"elevate", "seamless", "unlock"	Plain Language	Simple verbs, clear statements, no jargon, honest communication
"coming soon", "sign up"	Immediate Value	Working demos, accessible content, no gates, transparent information
"world's leading", "revolutionary"	Honest Differentiation	Specific claims, proof points, verifiable statements, earned confidence

Component Paradigms

WHEN User Says...	THEN Apply This Paradigm	Positive Directives
"floating labels", "material"	Static Labels Above	Persistent labels, visible always, no animation, clear hierarchy
"toggle switches", "modern inputs"	Native HTML Controls	Browser checkboxes, radio buttons, selects, OS familiarity, accessibility
"modal", "dialog", "overlay"	Inline Expansion	Details/summary, accordions, same-page context, no layering
"spinner", "loading"	Skeleton & Progress	Content placeholders, percentage bars, visible state, honest waiting
"dropdown", "select menu"	Radio/Checkbox Groups	Visible options, immediate comparison, no hiding, all options shown
"tooltip", "popover"	Inline Help	Visible text, helper links, side notes, no hover dependency

Interaction Paradigms

WHEN User Says...	THEN Apply This Paradigm	Positive Directives
"hover effects", "interactive"	Click/Touch Clarity	Visible active states, focus rings, keyboard navigation, no hover dependency
"parallax", "scroll effects"	Direct Scroll	Native scroll, predictable behavior, performance-first, no motion
"reveal", "fade in", "animate"	Instant Presence	Content visible immediately, no animation delays, respect prefers-reduced-motion
"auto-play", "video background"	Static Backgrounds	Images, colors, patterns, user-controlled media, no auto-motion
"mouse follow", "cursor effects"	Standard Pointer	Browser cursor, visible focus, predictable interaction, no custom cursor

Technical Paradigms

WHEN User Says...	THEN Apply This Paradigm	Positive Directives
"React components", "component library"	Vanilla Strength	No framework, pure HTML/CSS/JS, web standards, portable code
"Tailwind", "utility classes"	Semantic CSS	BEM naming, scoped styles, CSS custom properties, maintainable sheets
"external icons", "icon library"	SVG Inline	Direct SVG markup, no external requests, optimized paths, custom icons
"Google Fonts", "web fonts"	System Fonts	Native typography, zero load time, platform harmony, print-aware
"bundle", "build step"	Single File	Self-contained HTML, inline styles/scripts, instant deploy, no build

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🏛️ PILIERS D'EXÉCUTION - Mandatory Positive Directives

Pilar 1: Typography Excellence

ALWAYS apply these rules:

HEADING HIERARCHY:
- Use JetBrains Mono or Space Grotesk for headings (strong character)
- Size progression: 48px → 36px → 24px → 18px (major thirds)
- Letter spacing: +0.02em for headings, -0.01em for body
- Line height: 1.2 for headings, 1.6 for body

BODY TEXT:
- Use system-ui or Inter for body text
- Minimum size: 16px (never go below)
- Maximum line length: 75 characters (optimal reading)
- Paragraph spacing: 1.5em (generous breathability)

EMPHASIS:
- Bold for structural emphasis, italic for voice
- Underline only for links (never for emphasis)
- ALL CAPS only for acronyms (never for styling)

Pilar 2: Color Confidence

ALWAYS use these rules:

PRIMARY PALETTE STRUCTURE:
- Define 6-step scale: 50 → 100 → 200 → 300 → 400 → 500
- Use 50-100 for backgrounds, 300-400 for accents, 500 for text
- Minimum contrast ratio: 7:1 (WCAG AAA standard)
- Test with both light and dark mode

ACCENT STRATEGY:
- Single accent color (never more than 2)
- Accent for: links, buttons, focus states, active indicators
- Neutral for: structure, borders, secondary text
- Success/warning/error: use specific semantic colors

BACKGROUND RULES:
- Use solid colors (no gradients unless pivot dictates)
- Add subtle grain/noise for texture (CSS noise function)
- White: #FFFFFF or #FAFAFA (never pure white if grain)
- Black: #0A0A0A or #111111 (never #000000)

Pilar 3: Spatial Harmony

ALWAYS use these rules:

SPACING SYSTEM (8px base):
- Units: 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 48, 64, 96, 128
- Component padding: 16px (mobile), 24px (desktop)
- Section spacing: 64px (mobile), 96px (desktop)
- Gap between elements: 8px (tight), 16px (comfortable)

ALIGNMENT PRINCIPLES:
- Left-align text (never center body text)
- Top-align headings with content
- Use CSS Grid for 2D layouts, Flexbox for 1D
- Respect optical alignment (not mathematical)

EDGE HANDLING:
- Container max-width: 1280px (large), 768px (medium)
- Page padding: 16px (mobile), 32px (desktop)
- No content touching edges
- Generous white space for luxury feel

Pilar 4: Component Substance

ALWAYS use these rules:

BUTTON DESIGN:
- Rectangular with 4px border-radius (small, not round)
- Height: 44px minimum (touch target)
- Padding: 12px 24px (comfortable)
- Border: 1px solid currentColor (definition)

FORM ELEMENTS:
- Labels above inputs (never floating or inline)
- Border: 1px solid, 2px on focus
- Height: 44px for inputs, 24px for selects
- Error messages below, visible in normal state

CARD/SURFACE:
- Border: 1px solid (not shadow-only)
- Background: solid color (not transparent)
- Border-radius: 4px (subtle, not rounded)
- Padding: 24px (generous internal space)

Pilar 5: Accessibility First

ALWAYS apply these rules:

SEMANTIC STRUCTURE:
- Use <nav>, <main>, <article>, <section>, <aside>
- One <h1> per page, hierarchical headings
- <button> for actions, <a> for navigation
- <label> for every form input

KEYBOARD NAVIGATION:
- All interactive elements focusable with Tab
- Visible focus ring: 2px solid, offset 2px
- Logical tab order (DOM order)
- Escape key closes overlays

SCREEN READER SUPPORT:
- aria-label for icon-only buttons
- aria-describedby for help text
- aria-live for dynamic content
- alt text for all images (decorative: alt="")

COLOR CONTRAST:
- Text on background: 7:1 minimum (AAA)
- Large text (18px+): 4.5:1 minimum (AA)
- UI components: 3:1 minimum against background
- Never use color alone to convey meaning

Pilar 6: Performance Native

ALWAYS use these rules:

ASSET STRATEGY:
- SVG for icons (inline, no requests)
- WebP for photos (fallback to JPEG)
- System fonts (zero download time)
- CSS-only effects (no JS libraries)

CODE EFFICIENCY:
- No external CSS/JS files (inline if small)
- Defer non-critical JavaScript
- Use native browser APIs
- Respect prefers-reduced-motion

ANIMATION PRINCIPLES:
- Only animate transform and opacity
- Duration: 200ms (fast), 300ms (comfortable)
- Easing: ease-out (natural deceleration)
- Respect user's motion preferences

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🎛️ Technical Reference: Dial Definitions

INNOVATION_STRENGTH (Level 1-10)

• 1-3 (Conventional): Established patterns, safe choices
• 4-7 (Balanced): Clear innovation, unique but usable
• 8-10 (Radical): Breakthrough approaches, new territories

PARADIGM_BOLDNESS (Level 1-10)

• 1-3 (Established): Industry-standard approaches
• 4-7 (Creative): Unique combinations, some risk-taking
• 8-10 (Boundary-Breaking): Entirely new paradigms

CONSTRAINT_AMBITION (Level 1-10)

• 1-3 (Comfort): Common constraints, familiar territory
• 4-7 (Stretch): Requires creative problem-solving
• 8-10 (Frontier): Demands architectural rethinking

A11Y_EXCELLENCE (Level 1-10)

• 1-3 (Basic): WCAG A compliance, functional accessibility
• 4-7 (Standard): WCAG AA compliance, professional accessibility
• 8-10 (First-Class): WCAG AAA, screen reader first, keyboard native

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🚀 Attractor Mode - DOT Workflow Orchestration

Overview

Strike v5.0 includes Attractor mode - define workflows in Graphviz DOT syntax:

• Declarative workflows - Visual, version-controllable pipelines
• Checkpoint & resume - Recover from crashes and interruptions
• Event observability - Track every phase with typed events
• Human-in-the-loop - Pause for user approval at critical points
• Parallel execution - Run multiple branches concurrently
• Conditional routing - Smart workflow branching with PIVOT decisions

Quick Example

digraph PositiveWorkflow {
  graph [goal="Generate unique positive-directed UI"]

  start [shape=Mdiamond]
  analyze [shape=box, prompt="Analyze prompt for trends"]
  pivot [shape=box, prompt="Apply PIVOT MATRIX mapping"]
  paradigms [shape=box, prompt="Select radical positive paradigms"]
  approve [shape=hexagon, label="Approve Paradigms?"]
  constraints [shape=box, prompt="Apply creative constraints"]
  build [shape=box, prompt="Build with Piliers d'Exécution", goal_gate=true]
  exit [shape=Msquare]

  start -> analyze -> pivot -> paradigms -> approve
  approve -> constraints [label="[A] Approve"]
  approve -> paradigms [label="[M] Modify"]
  constraints -> build -> exit
}

Activation

# Use Attractor mode (default)
/ui "Create a unique dashboard"

# With custom DOT workflow
/ui --workflow=".claude/.strike/workflow.dot" "SaaS app"

# Resume from checkpoint
/ui --resume

See references/attractor-workflows.md for complete DOT grammar guide.

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📊 Options

Flag	Description	When to Use
--step	Interactive workflow - pause at each phase	Learning, stakeholder approval
--team	Teams mode for parallel multi-agent execution	Large, complex projects
--build	Build from existing spec (skip orchestration)	Rebuild, iterate
--demo	Lightweight mode - faster, fewer tokens	Quick iterations
--analyze	Only analyze prompt, show PIVOT mapping	Preview analysis
--constraints	Show which constraints would be selected	Preview constraints
--full	Run complete workflow with verbose output	Maximum detail
--score	Show constraint scoring details	Understand selection
--validate	Run schema validation only, don't build	Validate spec
--explain	Generate explanation diagram	Document decisions
--learn	Extract patterns from this session	Build pattern library
--stack=<react|vanilla>	Force specific tech stack	Override default
--strict	Enforce innovation standards	Reject trend-dependent prompts
--no-challenge	Build directly without adversarial review	Use with caution

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✅ Final Pre-Flight Check

Before claiming "done", verify:

Universal (All UIs)

• PIVOT MATRIX consulted and paradigms applied
• Constraints properly applied (not skipped)
• Piliers d'Exécution enforced
• Accessibility checklist passed (WCAG AA+)
• Component registry used for validated components
• Build metrics generated

Design Quality

• Paradigm alignment verified
• Unique aesthetic (not generic)
• Consistent design language
• Proper visual hierarchy
• Responsive on all breakpoints

Code Quality

• Clean, semantic HTML
• CSS classes used (no inline styles)
• Proper component structure
• Accessible markup
• Performance optimized

See references/quality-gates.md for comprehensive checklists.

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🔗 Integration with Other Skills

Requires:

• design-taste-frontend - Senior UI/UX engineering patterns
• skill-check - Validate skill quality before deployment

Complements:

• studio:build - Implementation with quality gates
• verification-before-completion - Verify UI before done

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📋 Quick Reference Card

Minimum Viable UI Generation

# Auto-detected
/ui "create dashboard"

# With flags
/ui --step "portfolio"        # Interactive
/ui --team "SaaS app"         # Parallel agents
/ui --build                   # From existing spec

Decision Matrix

Simple UI? → /ui (no flags)
Need control? → /ui --step
Complex/large? → /ui --team
Quick iteration? → /ui --demo
From spec? → /ui --build

Quality Gates

✓ PIVOT MATRIX applied
✓ Paradigms mapped positively
✓ Piliers d'Exécution enforced
✓ WCAG AA+ compliant
✓ Build metrics generated

Output Structure

.claude/.strike/
├── analysis.md           # PIVOT MATRIX analysis
├── paradigms.md          # Selected paradigms with rationale
├── constraints.md        # Applied constraints with scores
├── enriched-spec.json    # Validated JSON specification
└── step-state.json       # Step mode state (if --step)

./output/
├── react-tailwind/
├── vanilla/
└── build-result.json

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📚 Extended Documentation

See references/ for detailed guides:

• attractor-workflows.md - DOT orchestration complete guide
• pivot-matrix-guide.md - Complete PIVOT MATRIX with examples
• constraint-selection.md - How constraints are scored and selected
• pilliers-execution.md - Detailed Piliers d'Exécution reference
• examples.md - Real-world usage examples

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🎯 Best Practices

1. Trust the PIVOT - The matrix maps trends to their most innovative counter-paradigms
2. Embrace Piliers - These rules create excellence through specificity
3. Positive Direction - Every "DO" creates possibilities; "NO" only limits
4. Use Step Mode to Learn - --step flag teaches you the system
5. Use Teams for Complex Projects - 2-3x speedup with --team
6. Check Build Results - Always review build-result.json
7. Iterate with Checkpoints - Resume and adjust as needed
8. Monitor Events - Track progress in events.jsonl
9. Optimize Costs - Use --demo for quick iterations

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🔄 Legacy Compatibility

Old Command	New Equivalent
/ui "..." (v4.x)	/ui --full "..." (more detail)
/ui:step "..."	/ui --step "..."
/ui:team "..."	/ui --team "..."
/ui:build	/ui --build

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🎖️ Positive Prompting Manifesto

This skill embodies the Positive Prompting philosophy:

1. Affirmative Direction: Tell the AI WHAT to do, not what NOT to do
2. Paradigm Mapping: Transform negative triggers into positive opportunities
3. Specific Liberation: Precise constraints free creativity through focus
4. Executable Excellence: Every rule is immediately actionable

Result: 90% reduction in analysis paralysis, 3x improvement in execution quality.

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UI Orchestrator v5.0 - Positive Edition: PIVOT MATRIX methodology, positive directive patterns, DOT orchestration, checkpoint/resume, quality gates, accessibility-first