adapt

SKILL.md

Adapt existing designs to work effectively across different contexts - different screen sizes, devices, platforms, or use cases.

MANDATORY PREPARATION

Invoke /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. Additionally gather: target platforms/devices and usage contexts.

Assess Adaptation Challenge

Understand what needs adaptation and why:

Identify the source context:

What was it designed for originally? (Desktop web? Mobile app?)

What assumptions were made? (Large screen? Mouse input? Fast connection?)

What works well in current context?

Understand target context:

Device: Mobile, tablet, desktop, TV, watch, print?

Input method: Touch, mouse, keyboard, voice, gamepad?

Screen constraints: Size, resolution, orientation?

Connection: Fast wifi, slow 3G, offline?

Usage context: On-the-go vs desk, quick glance vs focused reading?

User expectations: What do users expect on this platform?

Identify adaptation challenges:

What won't fit? (Content, navigation, features)

What won't work? (Hover states on touch, tiny touch targets)

What's inappropriate? (Desktop patterns on mobile, mobile patterns on desktop)

CRITICAL: Adaptation is not just scaling - it's rethinking the experience for the new context.

Plan Adaptation Strategy

Create context-appropriate strategy:

Mobile Adaptation (Desktop → Mobile)

Layout Strategy:

Single column instead of multi-column

Vertical stacking instead of side-by-side

Full-width components instead of fixed widths

Bottom navigation instead of top/side navigation

Interaction Strategy:

Touch targets 44x44px minimum (not hover-dependent)

Swipe gestures where appropriate (lists, carousels)

Bottom sheets instead of dropdowns

Thumbs-first design (controls within thumb reach)

Larger tap areas with more spacing

Content Strategy:

Progressive disclosure (don't show everything at once)

Prioritize primary content (secondary content in tabs/accordions)

Shorter text (more concise)

Larger text (16px minimum)

Navigation Strategy:

Hamburger menu or bottom navigation

Reduce navigation complexity

Sticky headers for context

Back button in navigation flow

Tablet Adaptation (Hybrid Approach)

Layout Strategy:

Two-column layouts (not single or three-column)

Side panels for secondary content

Master-detail views (list + detail)

Adaptive based on orientation (portrait vs landscape)

Interaction Strategy:

Support both touch and pointer

Touch targets 44x44px but allow denser layouts than phone

Side navigation drawers

Multi-column forms where appropriate

Desktop Adaptation (Mobile → Desktop)

Layout Strategy:

Multi-column layouts (use horizontal space)

Side navigation always visible

Multiple information panels simultaneously

Fixed widths with max-width constraints (don't stretch to 4K)

Interaction Strategy:

Hover states for additional information

Keyboard shortcuts

Right-click context menus

Drag and drop where helpful

Multi-select with Shift/Cmd

Content Strategy:

Show more information upfront (less progressive disclosure)

Data tables with many columns

Richer visualizations

More detailed descriptions

Print Adaptation (Screen → Print)

Layout Strategy:

Page breaks at logical points

Remove navigation, footer, interactive elements

Black and white (or limited color)

Proper margins for binding

Content Strategy:

Expand shortened content (show full URLs, hidden sections)

Add page numbers, headers, footers

Include metadata (print date, page title)

Convert charts to print-friendly versions

Email Adaptation (Web → Email)

Layout Strategy:

Narrow width (600px max)

Single column only

Inline CSS (no external stylesheets)

Table-based layouts (for email client compatibility)

Interaction Strategy:

Large, obvious CTAs (buttons not text links)

No hover states (not reliable)

Deep links to web app for complex interactions

Implement Adaptations

Apply changes systematically:

Responsive Breakpoints

Choose appropriate breakpoints:

Mobile: 320px-767px

Tablet: 768px-1023px

Desktop: 1024px+

Or content-driven breakpoints (where design breaks)

Layout Adaptation Techniques

CSS Grid/Flexbox: Reflow layouts automatically

Container Queries: Adapt based on container, not viewport

clamp(): Fluid sizing between min and max

Media queries: Different styles for different contexts

Display properties: Show/hide elements per context

Touch Adaptation

Increase touch target sizes (44x44px minimum)

Add more spacing between interactive elements

Remove hover-dependent interactions

Add touch feedback (ripples, highlights)

Consider thumb zones (easier to reach bottom than top)

Content Adaptation

Use display: none sparingly (still downloads)

Progressive enhancement (core content first, enhancements on larger screens)

Lazy loading for off-screen content

Responsive images (srcset, picture element)

Navigation Adaptation

Transform complex nav to hamburger/drawer on mobile

Bottom nav bar for mobile apps

Persistent side navigation on desktop

Breadcrumbs on smaller screens for context

IMPORTANT: Test on real devices, not just browser DevTools. Device emulation is helpful but not perfect.

NEVER:

Hide core functionality on mobile (if it matters, make it work)

Assume desktop = powerful device (consider accessibility, older machines)

Use different information architecture across contexts (confusing)

Break user expectations for platform (mobile users expect mobile patterns)

Forget landscape orientation on mobile/tablet

Use generic breakpoints blindly (use content-driven breakpoints)

Ignore touch on desktop (many desktop devices have touch)

Verify Adaptations

Test thoroughly across contexts:

Real devices: Test on actual phones, tablets, desktops

Different orientations: Portrait and landscape

Different browsers: Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge

Different OS: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS

Different input methods: Touch, mouse, keyboard

Edge cases: Very small screens (320px), very large screens (4K)

Slow connections: Test on throttled network

Remember: You're a cross-platform design expert. Make experiences that feel native to each context while maintaining brand and functionality consistency. Adapt intentionally, test thoroughly.