What is the 'spellcheck test' mentioned in the skill?

It is a design validator: a tool shouldn't ask if you need help; it should provide a subtle visual cue (like a red squiggle) that you can notice and act upon at your own discretion.

How does HUD-first help with developer flow?

By focusing on ambient awareness and peripheral signals rather than conversational interfaces, it eliminates the context-switching tax associated with chatting with an AI assistant.

When should I use a HUD pattern instead of an agent?

Use a HUD pattern for expert, creative, or complex work where human judgment is critical. Use agents or delegation only for routine, predictable tasks with clear success criteria.

What is the core philosophy of the HUD-first skill?

The core philosophy is shifting from 'Copilot' patterns (where you talk to the AI and delegate tasks) to 'HUD' patterns (where the AI extends your perception so you notice and solve problems yourself).

HUD-First AI Design

Name: HUD-First AI Design
Author: kylesnowschwartz

bykylesnowschwartz

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Productivity & Workflow

Reframes AI interactions from conversational delegation to ambient heads-up display patterns that enhance perception and preserve flow.

The HUD-first skill provides a specialized framework for Claude Code to move beyond the 'copilot' anti-pattern, which often involves intrusive chat and context-switching. Grounded in the principles of Calm Technology and Intelligence Augmentation, this skill guides developers to build AI features that act as ambient sense extensions—like a car's dashboard or a spellchecker's red squiggle. It is essential for teams building AI assistants, agents, or internal tools who want to prioritize flow-state preservation and human judgment over simple automation and distracting dialog boxes.

Key Features

01Provides a 'spellcheck test' framework to validate UI unobtrusiveness

0291 GitHub stars

03Applies Calm Technology principles to minimize user attention tax

04Offers domain-specific design patterns for code review, debugging, and writing

05Reframes AI delegation requests into perception-based HUD patterns

06Prioritizes Intelligence Augmentation (IA) over disruptive automation

Use Cases

01Architecting agentic workflows that enhance user awareness instead of replacing decision-making

02Refactoring existing chatbot-heavy interfaces into intuitive, visual 'heads-up' experiences

03Designing AI-powered developer tools that surface insights without interrupting coding

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add kylesnowschwartz/simpleclaude hud-first

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill