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
  5user-invocable: true
  6argument-hint: "[target]"
  7---
  8
  9Remove unnecessary complexity from designs, revealing the essential elements and creating clarity through ruthless simplification.
 10
 11## MANDATORY PREPARATION
 12
 13Invoke /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.
 14
 15---
 16
 17## Assess Current State
 18
 19Analyze what makes the design feel complex or cluttered:
 20
 211. **Identify complexity sources**:
 22   - **Too many elements**: Competing buttons, redundant information, visual clutter
 23   - **Excessive variation**: Too many colors, fonts, sizes, styles without purpose
 24   - **Information overload**: Everything visible at once, no progressive disclosure
 25   - **Visual noise**: Unnecessary borders, shadows, backgrounds, decorations
 26   - **Confusing hierarchy**: Unclear what matters most
 27   - **Feature creep**: Too many options, actions, or paths forward
 28
 292. **Find the essence**:
 30   - What's the primary user goal? (There should be ONE)
 31   - What's actually necessary vs nice-to-have?
 32   - What can be removed, hidden, or combined?
 33   - What's the 20% that delivers 80% of value?
 34
 35If any of these are unclear from the codebase, STOP and call the `question` tool to clarify.
 36
 37**CRITICAL**: Simplicity is not about removing features - it's about removing obstacles between users and their goals. Every element should justify its existence.
 38
 39## Plan Simplification
 40
 41Create a ruthless editing strategy:
 42
 43- **Core purpose**: What's the ONE thing this should accomplish?
 44- **Essential elements**: What's truly necessary to achieve that purpose?
 45- **Progressive disclosure**: What can be hidden until needed?
 46- **Consolidation opportunities**: What can be combined or integrated?
 47
 48**IMPORTANT**: Simplification is hard. It requires saying no to good ideas to make room for great execution. Be ruthless.
 49
 50## Simplify the Design
 51
 52Systematically remove complexity across these dimensions:
 53
 54### Information Architecture
 55- **Reduce scope**: Remove secondary actions, optional features, redundant information
 56- **Progressive disclosure**: Hide complexity behind clear entry points (accordions, modals, step-through flows)
 57- **Combine related actions**: Merge similar buttons, consolidate forms, group related content
 58- **Clear hierarchy**: ONE primary action, few secondary actions, everything else tertiary or hidden
 59- **Remove redundancy**: If it's said elsewhere, don't repeat it here
 60
 61### Visual Simplification
 62- **Reduce color palette**: Use 1-2 colors plus neutrals, not 5-7 colors
 63- **Limit typography**: One font family, 3-4 sizes maximum, 2-3 weights
 64- **Remove decorations**: Eliminate borders, shadows, backgrounds that don't serve hierarchy or function
 65- **Flatten structure**: Reduce nesting, remove unnecessary containers—never nest cards inside cards
 66- **Remove unnecessary cards**: Cards aren't needed for basic layout; use spacing and alignment instead
 67- **Consistent spacing**: Use one spacing scale, remove arbitrary gaps
 68
 69### Layout Simplification
 70- **Linear flow**: Replace complex grids with simple vertical flow where possible
 71- **Remove sidebars**: Move secondary content inline or hide it
 72- **Full-width**: Use available space generously instead of complex multi-column layouts
 73- **Consistent alignment**: Pick left or center, stick with it
 74- **Generous white space**: Let content breathe, don't pack everything tight
 75
 76### Interaction Simplification
 77- **Reduce choices**: Fewer buttons, fewer options, clearer path forward (paradox of choice is real)
 78- **Smart defaults**: Make common choices automatic, only ask when necessary
 79- **Inline actions**: Replace modal flows with inline editing where possible
 80- **Remove steps**: Can signup be one step instead of three? Can checkout be simplified?
 81- **Clear CTAs**: ONE obvious next step, not five competing actions
 82
 83### Content Simplification
 84- **Shorter copy**: Cut every sentence in half, then do it again
 85- **Active voice**: "Save changes" not "Changes will be saved"
 86- **Remove jargon**: Plain language always wins
 87- **Scannable structure**: Short paragraphs, bullet points, clear headings
 88- **Essential information only**: Remove marketing fluff, legalese, hedging
 89- **Remove redundant copy**: No headers restating intros, no repeated explanations, say it once
 90
 91### Code Simplification
 92- **Remove unused code**: Dead CSS, unused components, orphaned files
 93- **Flatten component trees**: Reduce nesting depth
 94- **Consolidate styles**: Merge similar styles, use utilities consistently
 95- **Reduce variants**: Does that component need 12 variations, or can 3 cover 90% of cases?
 96
 97**NEVER**:
 98- Remove necessary functionality (simplicity ≠ feature-less)
 99- Sacrifice accessibility for simplicity (clear labels and ARIA still required)
100- Make things so simple they're unclear (mystery ≠ minimalism)
101- Remove information users need to make decisions
102- Eliminate hierarchy completely (some things should stand out)
103- Oversimplify complex domains (match complexity to actual task complexity)
104
105## Verify Simplification
106
107Ensure simplification improves usability:
108
109- **Faster task completion**: Can users accomplish goals more quickly?
110- **Reduced cognitive load**: Is it easier to understand what to do?
111- **Still complete**: Are all necessary features still accessible?
112- **Clearer hierarchy**: Is it obvious what matters most?
113- **Better performance**: Does simpler design load faster?
114
115## Document Removed Complexity
116
117If you removed features or options:
118- Document why they were removed
119- Consider if they need alternative access points
120- Note any user feedback to monitor
121
122Remember: 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."