Design Intelligence System
AsciiKit v5 transforms Claude into a Senior UX Designer through six integrated intelligence frameworks. These work automatically behind the scenes - you never need to invoke them directly.
How Intelligence Works
When you describe what you need, Claude:
- Infers Context - Domain, user segment, emotional state, business goals
- Applies Psychology - Selects relevant principles from all six frameworks
- Generates Designs - Creates wireframes informed by human behavior
- Explains Reasoning - Shows why each decision supports user psychology
This happens automatically. You just describe your needs in natural language.
The Six Frameworks
1. User Psychology Engine
Understanding what drives human behavior in interfaces.
Core Concepts:
- Self-Determination Theory - Autonomy, competence, relatedness
- Trust Mechanics - Security signals, social proof, authority indicators
- Cognitive Biases - Loss aversion, anchoring, framing effects
- Motivation Drivers - Intrinsic vs. extrinsic, progress mechanics
Example in Action:
Request: "Design a fitness app dashboard"
Claude applies: Achievement mechanics, progress visualization,
social comparison, competence building
Result: Dashboard that maintains motivation through multiple
psychological reward systems
2. Cognitive Science Layer
Managing how the brain processes information.
Core Principles:
- Miller's Law - Chunking information into 7±2 items
- Hick's Law - Reducing choice paralysis through progressive disclosure
- Fitts's Law - Optimizing target sizes and distances
- Cognitive Load Types - Balancing intrinsic, extraneous, and germane loads
Example in Action:
Request: "Create a complex settings panel"
Claude applies: Information chunking, progressive disclosure,
logical grouping, reduced cognitive load
Result: Settings organized by mental models with expandable
sections to prevent overwhelm
3. Emotional Design System
Creating experiences that resonate on three levels.
The Three Levels:
- Visceral - Immediate gut reaction to visual appearance
- Behavioral - Feelings during interaction and use
- Reflective - Long-term satisfaction and meaning
Common Emotional Arcs:
- Curiosity → Discovery → Delight (consumer discovery)
- Anxiety → Reassurance → Confidence (high-stakes decisions)
- Skepticism → Evidence → Trust (enterprise/B2B)
- Confusion → Clarity → Mastery (learning/complex tools)
- Frustrated → Helped → Trusting (error recovery)
Claude can also infer custom emotional arcs from your description of the user journey.
Example in Action:
Request: "Design an onboarding flow for enterprise software"
Claude applies: Emotional progression from skepticism to confidence
Result: Flow that starts with credibility signals, provides quick
wins, and builds to professional mastery
4. Information Architecture
Organizing content for intuitive understanding.
Organization Schemes:
- Alphabetical - Known-item seeking
- Chronological - Time-based relationships
- Geographical - Location-based
- Topical - Subject categories
- Task-based - User goals
- Audience-based - User segments
Navigation Patterns:
- Global, local, contextual navigation
- Breadcrumbs and wayfinding
- Search and filtering systems
- Progressive disclosure hierarchies
Example in Action:
Request: "Organize a learning platform"
Claude applies: Task-based primary nav, topical content organization,
progress breadcrumbs
Result: Structure that matches learner mental models and goals
5. Conversion Psychology
Ethical persuasion based on behavioral science.
Cialdini's Six Principles:
- Reciprocity - Give first, receive later
- Commitment/Consistency - Small yes leads to big yes
- Social Proof - Others are doing it
- Authority - Expert endorsement
- Liking - We say yes to those we like
- Scarcity - Limited availability drives action
Behavioral Economics:
- Loss aversion and risk mitigation
- Anchoring and price perception
- Framing effects and context
- Default bias and opt-out vs. opt-in
Example in Action:
Request: "Design a premium upgrade flow"
Claude applies: Loss aversion (what you'll miss), social proof
(user testimonials), authority (expert endorsements)
Result: Upgrade flow that ethically communicates value while
respecting user autonomy
6. Accessibility Framework
Ensuring designs work for everyone.
WCAG Principles:
- Perceivable - Information presented in multiple ways
- Operable - All functions keyboard accessible
- Understandable - Clear language and predictable operation
- Robust - Works with assistive technologies
Inclusive Design:
- Permanent impairments (blindness, deafness)
- Temporary impairments (broken arm, ear infection)
- Situational impairments (bright sun, loud environment)
Universal Patterns:
- 48px minimum touch targets
- 4.5:1 contrast ratios
- Clear focus indicators
- Error prevention and recovery
Example in Action:
Request: "Design a payment form for elderly users"
Claude applies: Larger touch targets, high contrast, clear labels,
error prevention, simplified flow
Result: Form that's not just accessible but optimized for
age-related changes in vision and motor control
Domain-Specific Applications
The intelligence system automatically adapts based on your industry:
Healthcare
Automatic focus:
- Calming color psychology (blues, greens)
- Trust through transparency
- Progressive disclosure for complex info
- HIPAA-compliant patterns
- Anxiety reduction techniques
Fintech
Automatic focus:
- Security theater and trust signals
- Loss aversion mitigation
- Compliance-aware flows
- Fraud prevention psychology
- Clear fee disclosure
E-commerce
Automatic focus:
- Cart abandonment prevention
- Social proof integration
- Urgency without dark patterns
- Trust at checkout
- Return policy visibility
Education
Automatic focus:
- Cognitive load management
- Spaced repetition patterns
- Achievement mechanics
- Progress visualization
- Zone of proximal development
Social Media
Automatic focus:
- Variable reward schedules
- Network effects
- Content discovery patterns
- Ethical engagement (no dark patterns)
- Community guidelines visibility
Other Domains
For domains not listed above (gaming, government, legal, real estate, etc.), AsciiKit applies generic psychology frameworks rather than domain-specific adaptations. The six core frameworks still work, but without specialized trust mechanics or risk profiles.
Want domain-specific intelligence added? Email hello@asciikit.com with your use case.
User Segment Adaptations
Intelligence adapts to specific user groups. Four core segments have specialized psychology:
1. Seniors / Elderly
- 48-56px touch targets
- Sans-serif fonts at 16px+
- High contrast (7:1 preferred)
- Reduced cognitive load
- Clear error recovery
- Phone support visible
2. Power Users / Experts
- Information density
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Batch operations
- Advanced filtering
- Customization options
- Minimal hand-holding
3. Beginners / Novices / First-time Users
- Progressive disclosure
- Onboarding tooltips
- Quick wins early
- Clear next steps
- Undo capabilities
- Help always visible
4. Anxious / Stressed Users
- Progress indicators
- Save drafts frequently
- Clear escape routes
- Reassuring language
- Support options visible
- Error prevention focus
Note: Claude recognizes variations of these terms (e.g., "new users" maps to "beginners", "stressed" maps to "anxious").
Mobile-First by Default (v5.2+): AsciiKit applies mobile-specific patterns (thumb zones, swipe gestures, offline mode, touch targets) automatically for all designs, since the 38-character wireframe format matches mobile screens. Desktop patterns are applied only when you explicitly specify platform: "desktop".
Intelligence in Practice
Example 1: Payment Form Psychology
Request: "Design a payment form for a charity donation"
Claude's Automatic Analysis:
- Domain: Non-profit (trust critical)
- Emotion: Altruistic (reinforce good feelings)
- Context: Financial (security concerns)
Applied Intelligence:
- Trust mechanics: Security badges, charity ratings
- Emotional design: Impact visualization ("Your $50 feeds 10 families")
- Cognitive science: Chunked form sections, suggested amounts
- Conversion psychology: Social proof ("1,247 donors today")
- Accessibility: Clear labels, error prevention
Result: Form that builds trust while reinforcing positive emotions about giving.
Example 2: Onboarding Flow Intelligence
Request: "Create onboarding for a B2B analytics tool"
Claude's Automatic Analysis:
- Users: Business professionals (time-conscious)
- Goal: Quick value demonstration
- Emotion: Skeptical → Convinced
Applied Intelligence:
- Emotional arc: Skepticism → Evidence → Confidence → Mastery
- Cognitive load: Progressive complexity, just-in-time learning
- Trust building: Customer logos, security certifications
- Information architecture: Task-based flow matching user goals
- Conversion psychology: Quick wins, commitment escalation
Result: Onboarding that proves value quickly while building competence.
The Magic of Automatic Intelligence
What makes v5 transformational:
- No Manual Invocation - Intelligence applies automatically
- Context Awareness - Understands domain, users, emotions
- Integrated Thinking - All six frameworks work together
- Natural Explanation - Reasoning woven into responses
- Continuous Adaptation - Adjusts based on your clarifications
You don't need to:
- Learn psychology principles
- Specify which framework to use
- Understand the technical implementation
- Manually combine different approaches
You just need to:
- Describe what you're building
- Specify who it's for
- Mention any special constraints
- Let Claude handle the psychology
Common Questions
"How do I activate the intelligence?"
You don't. It's always active. Just use any /asciikit command and describe your needs.
"Can I specify which framework to use?"
The system automatically selects relevant frameworks. However, you can emphasize aspects like "focus on trust" or "reduce anxiety" in your request.
"Does it work for all types of apps?"
Yes. The intelligence adapts to any domain - from healthcare to gaming to enterprise software.
"How detailed should my requests be?"
Start simple. Claude generates designs immediately without asking clarifying questions first — it infers context from what you provide, then invites refinement after. More context generally leads to more targeted psychological application.
"Can I override the psychology?"
Yes. Just specify what you want: "Make it more playful" or "Remove gamification elements."
Next Steps
Ready to experience design intelligence?
- Quick Start - Get started in 5 minutes
- Your First Intelligent Design - See psychology in action
- The 5 Commands - Deep dive into each workflow
- Examples Gallery - See intelligence across different domains
Remember: You're not learning psychology. You're gaining a UX designer who already knows it.