The Design Elevation skill transforms Claude's functional visual outputs into polished, professional designs automatically. When activated, Claude thinks like a design director, interrogating every design choice and applying sophisticated design principles to create outputs that feel hand-crafted rather than template-based.
When you install this skill and request any visual output (presentations, dashboards, reports, HTML pages, spreadsheets), Claude will:
- Start with function - Create a working version first
- Apply systematic elevation - Follow professional design protocols
- Reference excellence - Draw inspiration from leading design systems (Stripe, Linear, Apple, Bauhaus, Swiss design)
- Use specific techniques - Apply concrete visual moves rather than generic styling
- Ensure polish - Deliver outputs that look like they've been through multiple design iterations
- Download the
design-elevation.skillfile - In Claude, use the skills feature to upload/install the skill
- The skill will automatically activate when you request any visual output
The skill triggers automatically when you request:
- Presentations (PPTX)
- Spreadsheets (XLSX)
- Dashboards
- Reports
- HTML artifacts/pages
- PDFs
- Data visualizations
- Any other visual content
By default, Claude applies all design thinking internally. You'll see only the polished result, not the design process. If you want to see Claude's design thinking, simply ask: "Show me your design process" or "Explain your design choices."
- Professional type scales (not default sizes)
- Considered font pairings
- Optical adjustments for display text
- Clear hierarchy through size, weight, and spacing
- Neutral foundations (no pure black on white)
- Purposeful color use (semantic, emphasis, wayfinding)
- Sophisticated palettes inspired by leading brands
- Accessibility-compliant contrast
- Consistent spacing systems (8px grid typical)
- Deliberate use of white space
- Clear visual zones and relationships
- Professional margins and padding
- Subtle shadows and depth
- Refined corner radii
- Purposeful (not generic) icons
- Micro-animations where appropriate
- Attention to small details
- System default fonts
- Pure black text on white
- Even spacing everywhere
- Default Excel/PowerPoint styling
- No visual hierarchy
- Template-like appearance
- Carefully selected typefaces
- Sophisticated color palette
- Rhythmic spacing system
- Custom, refined styling
- Clear information hierarchy
- Hand-crafted appearance
You can guide the elevation process with specific requests:
- "Make it feel premium" - Claude will emphasize luxury design elements
- "Keep it minimal" - Focus on Swiss/Japanese minimalist principles
- "Make it technical" - Apply engineering/data-focused aesthetics
- "Make it approachable" - Use friendly, warm design language
- "Follow [Company] design language" - Reference specific brand styles
The skill includes comprehensive reference materials:
- Design Interrogation Checklist - Questions Claude asks before delivering
- Technique Catalog - Specific visual moves organized by purpose
- Elevation Protocol - Systematic refinement process
- Design Exemplars - Inspiration from leading design systems
- Typography Scales - Professional type systems
- Color Systems - Sophisticated palette approaches
- Grid Systems - Structured layout frameworks
- Spacing Systems - Consistent spatial rhythm
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Be specific about context: "Create a sales dashboard for executive review" gives better results than just "create a dashboard"
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Mention constraints if any: "Keep it printable in black and white" or "Needs to work on mobile"
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Reference inspiration: "Something like Linear's interface" or "Apple keynote style"
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Specify the mood: "Professional but approachable" or "Technical and precise"
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Request variations: "Show me a bold version and a conservative version"
Claude will create slides with:
- Strong typographic hierarchy
- Consistent visual language
- Professional color schemes
- Thoughtful layouts
- Subtle animations
Expect dashboards with:
- Clear KPI hierarchy
- Sophisticated color coding
- Consistent card systems
- Readable data visualizations
- Professional spacing
Documents will feature:
- Clear section structure
- Professional typography
- Consistent formatting
- Visual hierarchy
- Polished layouts
HTML outputs will include:
- Modern CSS techniques
- Responsive grid systems
- Smooth transitions
- Professional color schemes
- Attention to detail
Output still looks generic?
- The skill may not have activated. Ensure it's properly installed.
- Try being more specific about your design preferences.
Design is too bold/conservative?
- Guide Claude with phrases like "more subtle" or "make it bolder"
- Reference specific design styles you prefer
Want to see the design thinking?
- Ask: "Walk me through your design choices"
- Or: "Show me alternative design approaches"
This skill works well with:
- Document creation skills (docx, pptx, xlsx)
- Data visualization skills
- Web development skills
You can ask Claude to:
- "Create a consistent design system for all my outputs"
- "Develop a custom color palette for my brand"
- "Design a typography system for my company"
This skill embodies the principle that good design is invisible. The goal isn't to make things look "designed" but to make them feel inevitable—as if they couldn't have been any other way. Every choice should have a reason, balancing:
- Clarity over cleverness
- System over one-offs
- Restraint over excess
- Refinement over features
With the Design Elevation skill installed, you can expect every visual output from Claude to demonstrate:
- Intentional design decisions
- Professional polish
- Systematic thinking
- Attention to detail
- A hand-crafted feel
The difference will be immediately apparent—outputs that look like they've been through multiple rounds of professional design refinement, not just functional first drafts.