The 5 Intelligence Commands

AsciiKit v5 provides 5 commands, each applying different aspects of psychological intelligence to your design challenges. Claude automatically selects and applies the relevant psychology based on your needs.

Quick reference

/asciikit-quick - Quick Psychological Design

What it does: Instantly applies psychological intelligence to create optimized single screens.

Automatic intelligence:

• Infers user emotions and needs
• Applies relevant cognitive principles
• Optimizes for psychological goals
• Explains the human reasoning

Perfect for:

• Trust-critical screens (payment, login)
• High-anxiety contexts (error states, confirmations)
• Motivation screens (dashboards, progress)
• Decision screens (pricing, upgrades)
• First impressions (landing, onboarding)

Example:

/asciikit-quick
Design a payment form for anxious first-time users buying expensive items

Claude automatically understands:

• High anxiety context (first-time + expensive)
• Trust requirements (financial transaction)
• Cognitive load concerns (complex decision)

What you get:

I'll design a payment form that reduces anxiety through trust
mechanics and progressive disclosure. Based on psychology research,
I'm focusing on:
- Security signals to address fraud concerns
- Progress indicators for perceived control
- Clear pricing transparency to prevent surprises

Option A: Trust-focused with security badges
[wireframe with prominent security elements]

Option B: Simplified with progressive disclosure
[wireframe with staged information collection]

Each approach uses different anxiety-reduction strategies...

/asciikit-flow - Emotional Journey Mapping

What it does: Designs multi-screen flows with psychological progression, mapping emotional states from start to finish.

Automatic intelligence:

• Maps emotional arc (e.g., anxious → confident)
• Applies stage-appropriate psychology
• Manages cognitive load across steps
• Builds psychological momentum

Perfect for:

• Trust-building flows (skeptical → convinced)
• Learning flows (confused → competent)
• Conversion flows (curious → committed)
• Recovery flows (frustrated → satisfied)
• Onboarding flows (uncertain → engaged)

Example:

/asciikit-flow
Design an onboarding flow for skeptical enterprise users trying project management software

Claude automatically understands:

• Starting emotion: Skepticism (need evidence)
• Target emotion: Confidence (ready to use)
• User segment: Enterprise (efficiency-focused)
• Context: B2B software (ROI concerns)

What you get:

I'll design an onboarding flow that progressively builds trust
through social proof and quick wins. The emotional journey:
Skepticism → Evidence → Interest → Competence → Confidence

SCREEN 1: Welcome (Address skepticism)
[wireframe with customer logos, security badges]
Psychological purpose: Immediate credibility signals
  ↓
SCREEN 2: Quick Value Demo (Show evidence)
[wireframe with ROI calculator or case study]
Psychological purpose: Concrete proof of value
  ↓
SCREEN 3: Guided Setup (Build competence)
[wireframe with progressive steps]
Psychological purpose: Early success experience
  ↓
SCREEN 4: First Project Created (Confirm ability)
[wireframe with celebration and next steps]
Psychological purpose: Competence validation

Each screen deliberately moves users along the trust spectrum...

/asciikit-explore - Multiple Psychological Approaches

What it does: Shows how different psychological principles lead to fundamentally different designs for the same problem.

Automatic intelligence:

• Applies contrasting psychological theories
• Shows achievement vs. progress vs. social approaches
• Demonstrates different motivation systems
• Explains which psychology fits which context

Perfect for:

• Motivation systems (intrinsic vs. extrinsic)
• Engagement patterns (gamification vs. utility)
• Trust approaches (authority vs. social proof)
• Learning methods (guided vs. exploratory)
• Conversion tactics (urgency vs. value)

Example:

/asciikit-explore
Show me different psychological approaches to a fitness dashboard

Claude automatically generates:

• Different psychological frameworks
• Contrasting motivation theories
• Varied emotional targets
• Alternative behavioral triggers

What you get:

I'll show three psychologically distinct approaches to fitness
tracking, each grounded in a different theory of human motivation:

Self-Determination Theory (Competence Focus)
[wireframe with badges, levels, personal records]
Psychology: Mastery orientation — users are driven by getting better
Works for: Competitive users who want to see measurable improvement
Fails for: Users with performance anxiety or perfectionist tendencies

Loss Aversion + Commitment Consistency (Streak Mechanics)
[wireframe with daily streaks, chain preservation, risk of loss]
Psychology: Kahneman's loss aversion — breaking a streak feels worse
         than the gain of maintaining it feels good
Works for: Habit-building users who respond to consistency pressure
Fails for: Users who disengage entirely after missing one day

Social Proof + Belonging (Community Accountability)
[wireframe with friend activity, team challenges, shared goals]
Psychology: Festinger's Social Comparison Theory — we calibrate
         our behavior by observing similar others
Works for: Users who are motivated by accountability and connection
Fails for: Privacy-sensitive users or those who compare negatively

Each approach activates a different psychological driver...

/asciikit-spec - Psychologically Coherent Apps

What it does: Designs entire apps with consistent emotional architecture and psychological coherence across all features.

Automatic intelligence:

• Creates unified psychological ecosystem
• Maintains emotional consistency
• Balances motivation systems
• Ensures accessibility throughout

Perfect for:

• Mental health apps (consistent calming)
• Learning platforms (progressive complexity)
• Fitness apps (sustained motivation)
• Financial apps (trust throughout)
• Social apps (ethical engagement)

Example:

/asciikit-spec
Design a meditation app for stressed professionals

Claude automatically understands:

• Users: Stressed professionals (time-poor, skeptical)
• Goal: Stress reduction and mental clarity
• Emotion: Anxious → Calm progression needed
• Context: Likely using during work breaks

What you get:

I'll design a meditation app with calming emotional architecture
throughout. Every screen supports stress reduction through:
- Minimal cognitive load
- Soothing visual hierarchy
- Progressive complexity
- Anxiety-reducing patterns

# Meditation App Specification

## Psychological Blueprint
- Core emotion: Calm confidence
- Design philosophy: Less is more
- Motivation: Intrinsic (feeling better) over extrinsic (streaks)
- Accessibility: Designed for stressed states (larger targets, clear paths)

## Information Architecture (Psychological Grouping)
1. Quick Relief (immediate needs)
2. Guided Practice (structured learning)
3. Progress (gentle encouragement)
4. Settings (minimal, hidden)

## Key Screens with Psychological Purpose

### Home Screen (Reduce decision fatigue)
[wireframe with 3 simple options max]
Psychology: Hick's Law - fewer choices when stressed

### Session Player (Eliminate distractions)
[wireframe with minimal UI, focus on content]
Psychology: Attention restoration theory

### Progress Dashboard (Gentle motivation)
[wireframe with soft progress indicators, no shame)
Psychology: Self-compassion over competition

Every design decision supports the core goal of stress reduction...

/asciikit-build - Psychology-Documented Specs

What it does: Creates technical specifications that explain not just what to build, but the psychological reasoning behind every decision.

Automatic intelligence:

• Translates psychology into technical requirements
• Documents behavioral triggers
• Specifies emotional design details
• Includes accessibility requirements

Perfect for:

• Developer handoffs with context
• Design system documentation
• Component libraries with purpose
• API requirements with user psychology
• Testing criteria based on psychology
• Implementation guides
• Contractor briefs

Example:

/asciikit-build
Create a build spec for a learning platform with spaced repetition

Claude automatically understands:

• Domain: Education (learning psychology)
• Feature: Spaced repetition (memory optimization)
• Users: Learners (cognitive load management)

What you get:

I'll create technical specifications that implement learning
psychology and spaced repetition algorithms. Each component
includes the psychological reasoning for developers to understand.

# Learning Platform - Build Specification

## Psychological Foundation
- Spaced repetition intervals: 1, 3, 7, 21, 60 days
- Cognitive load limits: Max 7 new items per session
- Testing effect: Active recall over passive review
- Motivation: Progress visibility and achievement unlocks

## Component Specifications

### FlashcardComponent
```typescript
interface FlashcardProps {
  // Psychological: Larger text reduces cognitive strain
  fontSize: '18px' // min for readability

  // Psychological: Animation provides thinking time
  flipAnimation: 300ms // not instant, allows processing

  // Psychological: Colors indicate confidence levels
  difficultyColors: {
    easy: 'green',    // Positive reinforcement
    medium: 'yellow', // Caution, needs work
    hard: 'red'       // Priority attention
  }
}

Psychology: Color coding leverages pre-attentive processing

SpacedRepetitionEngine

// Ebbinghaus forgetting curve implementation
calculateNextReview(performance: number): Date {
  // Performance 0-1 affects interval multiplication
  // Based on SM-2 algorithm with modifications
  // for better new-learner experience
}

Psychology: Optimizes for long-term retention

ProgressTracker

Requirements:

• Show streak to build habit (consistency motivation)
• Display mastery levels (competence building)
• Avoid shame mechanics (no penalty for breaks)

Psychology: Self-determination theory - support autonomy

Accessibility Requirements

• Min 48px touch targets (motor accessibility)
• 4.5:1 contrast (visual accessibility)
• Keyboard navigation (mobility accessibility)
• Screen reader labels (blind accessibility)

Testing Criteria Based on Psychology

• Load time < 3s (attention span threshold)
• Error recovery within 2 actions (frustration prevention)
• Progress always saved (loss aversion)
• Undo available for 5s (mistake anxiety)

Every technical decision connects to human psychology...

---

## Choosing the Right Intelligence Mode

**Based on your psychological needs:**

| Your need | Intelligence mode | Command |
|-----------|------------------|---------|
| "Reduce user anxiety on this screen" | Trust & calming psychology | `/asciikit-quick` |
| "Build trust through a journey" | Emotional progression | `/asciikit-flow` |
| "Compare motivation strategies" | Multiple psychologies | `/asciikit-explore` |
| "Design with consistent emotions" | Coherent psychology | `/asciikit-spec` |
| "Explain psychology to developers" | Documented reasoning | `/asciikit-build` |

**The intelligence adapts to your context:**

/asciikit-quick Design a form for stressed users → Claude applies anxiety-reduction psychology

/asciikit-quick Design a form for power users → Claude applies efficiency psychology

Same command, different intelligence based on context.

---

## Intelligence in Different Contexts

### Seniors (65+)

/asciikit-quick Design a medication reminder for elderly users

→ Automatic: 48px targets, high contrast, clear labels, phone support

### Anxious Users

/asciikit-flow Create a tax filing flow for anxious users

→ Automatic: Progress indicators, save drafts, clear escapes, reassurance

### Power Users

/asciikit-spec Design a developer dashboard

→ Automatic: Information density, keyboard shortcuts, batch operations

### First-time Users

/asciikit-flow Design onboarding for first-time crypto users

→ Automatic: Progressive disclosure, quick wins, clear next steps

---

## Common Intelligence Patterns

**Building Trust:**

/asciikit-flow Design a donation flow for a new charity

Claude automatically applies trust mechanics, social proof, transparency

**Reducing Cognitive Load:**

/asciikit-quick Design a complex settings panel

Claude automatically chunks information, uses progressive disclosure

**Increasing Motivation:**

/asciikit-explore Show different ways to motivate exercise

Claude shows achievement vs. progress vs. social approaches

**Managing Anxiety:**

/asciikit-spec Design a medical test results app

Claude creates calming architecture, clear information hierarchy

---

## Next Steps

- **[Design Intelligence System](/docs/intelligence)** - Deep dive into the six frameworks
- **[Your First Intelligent Design](/docs/first-wireframe)** - See psychology in action
- **[Writing Effective Prompts](/docs/writing-prompts)** - Get better psychological insights
- **[Intelligence Examples](/docs/examples)** - Real-world applications across domains