1---
  2name: distill
  3description: Strip designs to their essence by removing unnecessary complexity. Great design is simple, powerful, and clean. Use when the user asks to simplify, declutter, reduce noise, remove elements, or make a UI cleaner and more focused.
  4version: 2.1.1
  5---
  6
  7Remove unnecessary complexity from designs, revealing the essential elements and creating clarity through ruthless simplification.
  8
  9## MANDATORY PREPARATION
 10
 11Invoke /impeccable — it contains design principles, anti-patterns, and the **Context Gathering Protocol**. Follow the protocol before proceeding — if no design context exists yet, you MUST run /impeccable teach first.
 12
 13---
 14
 15## Assess Current State
 16
 17Analyze what makes the design feel complex or cluttered:
 18
 191. **Identify complexity sources**:
 20   - **Too many elements**: Competing buttons, redundant information, visual clutter
 21   - **Excessive variation**: Too many colors, fonts, sizes, styles without purpose
 22   - **Information overload**: Everything visible at once, no progressive disclosure
 23   - **Visual noise**: Unnecessary borders, shadows, backgrounds, decorations
 24   - **Confusing hierarchy**: Unclear what matters most
 25   - **Feature creep**: Too many options, actions, or paths forward
 26
 272. **Find the essence**:
 28   - What's the primary user goal? (There should be ONE)
 29   - What's actually necessary vs nice-to-have?
 30   - What can be removed, hidden, or combined?
 31   - What's the 20% that delivers 80% of value?
 32
 33If any of these are unclear from the codebase, ask the user directly to clarify what you cannot infer.
 34
 35**CRITICAL**: Simplicity is not about removing features - it's about removing obstacles between users and their goals. Every element should justify its existence.
 36
 37## Plan Simplification
 38
 39Create a ruthless editing strategy:
 40
 41- **Core purpose**: What's the ONE thing this should accomplish?
 42- **Essential elements**: What's truly necessary to achieve that purpose?
 43- **Progressive disclosure**: What can be hidden until needed?
 44- **Consolidation opportunities**: What can be combined or integrated?
 45
 46**IMPORTANT**: Simplification is hard. It requires saying no to good ideas to make room for great execution. Be ruthless.
 47
 48## Simplify the Design
 49
 50Systematically remove complexity across these dimensions:
 51
 52### Information Architecture
 53- **Reduce scope**: Remove secondary actions, optional features, redundant information
 54- **Progressive disclosure**: Hide complexity behind clear entry points (accordions, modals, step-through flows)
 55- **Combine related actions**: Merge similar buttons, consolidate forms, group related content
 56- **Clear hierarchy**: ONE primary action, few secondary actions, everything else tertiary or hidden
 57- **Remove redundancy**: If it's said elsewhere, don't repeat it here
 58
 59### Visual Simplification
 60- **Reduce color palette**: Use 1-2 colors plus neutrals, not 5-7 colors
 61- **Limit typography**: One font family, 3-4 sizes maximum, 2-3 weights
 62- **Remove decorations**: Eliminate borders, shadows, backgrounds that don't serve hierarchy or function
 63- **Flatten structure**: Reduce nesting, remove unnecessary containers—never nest cards inside cards
 64- **Remove unnecessary cards**: Cards aren't needed for basic layout; use spacing and alignment instead
 65- **Consistent spacing**: Use one spacing scale, remove arbitrary gaps
 66
 67### Layout Simplification
 68- **Linear flow**: Replace complex grids with simple vertical flow where possible
 69- **Remove sidebars**: Move secondary content inline or hide it
 70- **Full-width**: Use available space generously instead of complex multi-column layouts
 71- **Consistent alignment**: Pick left or center, stick with it
 72- **Generous white space**: Let content breathe, don't pack everything tight
 73
 74### Interaction Simplification
 75- **Reduce choices**: Fewer buttons, fewer options, clearer path forward (paradox of choice is real)
 76- **Smart defaults**: Make common choices automatic, only ask when necessary
 77- **Inline actions**: Replace modal flows with inline editing where possible
 78- **Remove steps**: Can signup be one step instead of three? Can checkout be simplified?
 79- **Clear CTAs**: ONE obvious next step, not five competing actions
 80
 81### Content Simplification
 82- **Shorter copy**: Cut every sentence in half, then do it again
 83- **Active voice**: "Save changes" not "Changes will be saved"
 84- **Remove jargon**: Plain language always wins
 85- **Scannable structure**: Short paragraphs, bullet points, clear headings
 86- **Essential information only**: Remove marketing fluff, legalese, hedging
 87- **Remove redundant copy**: No headers restating intros, no repeated explanations, say it once
 88
 89### Code Simplification
 90- **Remove unused code**: Dead CSS, unused components, orphaned files
 91- **Flatten component trees**: Reduce nesting depth
 92- **Consolidate styles**: Merge similar styles, use utilities consistently
 93- **Reduce variants**: Does that component need 12 variations, or can 3 cover 90% of cases?
 94
 95**NEVER**:
 96- Remove necessary functionality (simplicity ≠ feature-less)
 97- Sacrifice accessibility for simplicity (clear labels and ARIA still required)
 98- Make things so simple they're unclear (mystery ≠ minimalism)
 99- Remove information users need to make decisions
100- Eliminate hierarchy completely (some things should stand out)
101- Oversimplify complex domains (match complexity to actual task complexity)
102
103## Verify Simplification
104
105Ensure simplification improves usability:
106
107- **Faster task completion**: Can users accomplish goals more quickly?
108- **Reduced cognitive load**: Is it easier to understand what to do?
109- **Still complete**: Are all necessary features still accessible?
110- **Clearer hierarchy**: Is it obvious what matters most?
111- **Better performance**: Does simpler design load faster?
112
113## Document Removed Complexity
114
115If you removed features or options:
116- Document why they were removed
117- Consider if they need alternative access points
118- Note any user feedback to monitor
119
120Remember: You have great taste and judgment. Simplification is an act of confidence - knowing what to keep and courage to remove the rest. As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry said: "Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."