Design Reference Skill

Turn client-provided reference websites into a structured design guide that feeds directly into the design-system, page-builder, and brand-alignment skills.

When to Use

The client provides up to 5 URLs of websites they admire and says something like:

• •"I like these websites"
• •"Build something similar to these"
• •"Here are some references"
• •"I want my site to feel like this"

Input

The client provides 1 to 5 URLs. Accept them in any format:

• •Listed in conversation
• •Written in docs/style-brief.md under a references section
• •Provided as a simple list

Hard limit: 5 URLs maximum. If the client provides more, ask them to choose their top 5. Analysing too many references dilutes the findings.

Step 1: Visit Every Reference Site

Use the WebFetch tool to visit each URL. For each site, analyse the homepage first, then follow up to 2 internal pages (about, services, or contact) if they are linked from the homepage.

For each reference site, extract:

Layout and Structure

• •Overall page layout approach (single column, split, grid, asymmetric)
• •How the hero section is constructed (full-bleed image, video, text-only, split layout, animated)
• •Section rhythm and spacing (tight or generous, alternating backgrounds, dividers)
• •How content blocks flow down the page
• •Footer structure and content
• •Whether the site uses a sidebar, and where

Navigation

• •Number of navigation items and their labels
• •Navigation style (sticky, transparent-to-solid on scroll, hamburger on desktop, mega menu)
• •How the mobile menu behaves
• •Whether there is a prominent CTA in the navigation bar
• •How sub-pages are organised

Typography

• •Heading style (serif, sans-serif, display, all-caps, mixed case)
• •Approximate heading sizes and weight (bold, light, extra-bold)
• •Body text style and readability
• •Whether text is large and spacious or compact and dense
• •Any decorative text treatments (gradient text, outlined text, oversized characters)

Colour and Visual Tone

• •Dominant colour palette (dark, light, colourful, monochrome, earthy, bold)
• •Background approach (white, dark, coloured sections, gradients, textures)
• •Accent colour usage and where it appears
• •Overall mood (luxury, playful, corporate, warm, minimal, industrial, editorial)
• •Contrast strategy (high contrast, soft tones, dark mode)

Imagery and Media

• •Photo style (professional studio, candid, lifestyle, aerial, abstract)
• •Image treatment (full-bleed, rounded corners, overlapping, masked shapes, duotone)
• •Whether illustrations or icons are used prominently
• •Video usage (background video, embedded, none)
• •Image-to-text ratio on key pages

Interactions and Animation

• •Scroll animations (fade in, slide up, parallax, reveal on scroll)
• •Hover effects on cards, buttons, images, or links
• •Page transitions or loading animations
• •Any interactive elements (sliders, tabs, accordions, counters)
• •Whether animations feel subtle or dramatic

Calls to Action

• •Primary CTA style (button shape, colour, size, placement)
• •CTA wording patterns (action-oriented, inviting, formal)
• •How many CTAs appear per page
• •Whether CTAs are repeated at section breaks or only at top and bottom

Features and Functionality

• •Contact forms and their complexity
• •Testimonial or review display format
• •Team or staff presentation style
• •Service/product listing approach
• •Blog or news section presence
• •Social media integration
• •Map or location display
• •Any unique or standout features

Step 2: Identify Common Patterns

After visiting all reference sites, identify what the client is drawn to. Look for patterns that appear across multiple references:

Strongly Recurring (appeared in 3+ sites)

These are likely core preferences the client expects. Prioritise them.

Partially Recurring (appeared in 2 sites)

These are probable preferences. Include them unless they conflict with strongly recurring patterns.

Unique to One Site (appeared in 1 site only)

Note these but do not assume the client wants them. They may have admired that site for other reasons.

Step 3: Filter Through Our Standards

Not everything from reference sites should be adopted. Filter every finding against our established practices.

Must Respect

Translation Rules

When a reference site uses technology or patterns outside our stack:

Step 4: Generate the Design Reference Guide

Create docs/design-reference.md with the following structure:

---
generated: true
sources: [list of URLs analysed]
generated_date: YYYY-MM-DD
---

# Design Reference Guide

## Reference Sites Analysed

| # | URL | What the Client Likely Admires |
|---|-----|-------------------------------|
| 1 | ... | Brief summary of standout qualities |
| 2 | ... | ... |

## Core Design Direction

One paragraph summarising the overall aesthetic direction
these references point toward. Name the direction clearly
(e.g., "Editorial Minimal", "Warm Corporate", "Bold Industrial").

## Layout Patterns

### Recommended Page Structure
- Homepage layout approach
- Inner page layout approach
- Section rhythm and spacing guidance

### Hero Section
- Recommended hero style with reasoning
- Fallback approach if photos are limited

### Section Flow
- How sections should alternate
- Background treatment between sections
- Spacing recommendations

## Typography Direction

### Heading Font
- Style: [serif/sans-serif/display]
- Character: [description of the feel]
- Fontsource candidates: [2-3 specific font names to evaluate]
- Reference: "Similar to what [reference site] uses"

### Body Font
- Style: [serif/sans-serif]
- Priority: readability
- Fontsource candidates: [2-3 specific font names]

### Text Treatment
- Heading sizes and weight pattern
- Any decorative treatments to consider
- What to avoid

## Colour Direction

### Palette Mood
- Overall tone: [dark/light/colourful/earthy/etc.]
- Dominant colour family: [description]
- Accent usage: [how and where]

### Background Strategy
- Page background approach
- Section background alternation
- Whether dark sections are appropriate

### Colour Candidates
Suggest 2-3 palette directions with hex values for the
design-system skill to evaluate. Do not lock in a final
palette — that is the design-system's job.

## Navigation Pattern

- Recommended nav style
- Number of items
- Mobile menu approach
- CTA in navigation: yes/no and style

## Image and Media Approach

### Photo Treatment
- Border radius
- Hover behaviour
- Layout style (grid, overlapping, full-bleed, contained)

### Recommended Image Roles
Map to photo-manager categories:
- Hero: [style and dimensions]
- Team: [style and dimensions]
- Services: [style and dimensions]
- Gallery: [if applicable]

## Animation and Interaction

### Scroll Animations
- Entry animation style (fade, slide, scale)
- Speed and timing feel
- Stagger behaviour for groups

### Hover Effects
- Button hover style
- Card hover style
- Image hover style

### What to Skip
- Animations from references that are too heavy for our stack
- Interactions that would require frameworks outside our stack

## Call-to-Action Style

- Primary CTA: shape, colour approach, size
- CTA wording direction (aligned with east-african-english)
- Placement pattern across pages

## Standout Features to Consider

List specific features from reference sites worth
implementing, with feasibility notes:

| Feature | Seen On | Feasibility | Notes |
|---------|---------|-------------|-------|
| ... | ... | Easy/Moderate/Complex | ... |

## Features to Skip

List features from reference sites that do not fit
our stack, performance budget, or the client's needs:

| Feature | Reason to Skip |
|---------|---------------|
| ... | ... |

## Do's and Don'ts for This Project

### Do
- [Specific guidance based on reference analysis]

### Don't
- [Specific warnings based on reference analysis]

Step 5: Save and Report

1. •Write the completed guide to docs/design-reference.md
2. •Summarise the findings for the client in conversation:
   • •Name the design direction identified
   • •List the 3-5 most important patterns extracted
   • •Note any reference features that were filtered out and why
   • •Confirm which Fontsource font candidates to evaluate
3. •Ask the client if the direction feels right before proceeding to the design-system skill

How This Skill Connects to Others

Client provides URLs
        ↓
  design-reference        ← THIS SKILL (analyse → generate guide)
        ↓
  docs/design-reference.md is created
        ↓
  design-system reads it  ← alongside docs/style-brief.md
        ↓
  page-builder reads it   ← for layout patterns, section structure, features
        ↓
  brand-alignment reads it ← to verify the final site honours the reference direction

The design-system skill should read docs/design-reference.md alongside docs/style-brief.md when making typography, colour, and component decisions. If the two files conflict, the style brief takes priority — it represents the client's direct instructions, while the reference guide represents interpreted preferences.

Rules

1. •Never clone a reference site. Extract patterns and qualities, not specific designs. The client's site must be original.
2. •Never copy text from reference sites. Content comes only from the client's docs/ files.
3. •Always filter through our stack. If a feature cannot be built with Astro + Tailwind + Alpine.js without significant compromise, flag it honestly.
4. •Name fonts by Fontsource availability. Do not recommend a font that is not available on Fontsource. If a reference site uses a proprietary font, find the closest Fontsource alternative.
5. •Be honest about limitations. If a reference site achieves its effect through heavy JavaScript, video, or a framework outside our stack, say so clearly and propose the best achievable alternative.
6. •Maximum 5 URLs. Do not analyse more, even if the client insists. Quality of analysis drops with quantity.
7. •Confirm before proceeding. Always present the guide summary to the client and get confirmation before the design-system skill begins work.