PRD to UX Translation

Overview

Translate product requirements into UX foundations through 6 forced designer mindset passes. Each pass asks different questions that visual-first approaches skip.

Core principle: UX foundations come BEFORE visual specifications. Mental models, information architecture, and cognitive load analysis prevent "pretty but unusable" designs.

When to Use

• Translating PRD/spec to mockup tool input (Google Stitch, Figma, etc.)
• Creating UX specifications from feature requirements
• Preparing design handoff documents
• Before any visual design work

Output Location

Write the UX specification to a file in the same directory as the source PRD.

Naming convention:

• If PRD is feature-x.md → output feature-x-ux-spec.md
• If PRD is PRD.md → output UX-spec.md
• If PRD is requirements.md → output requirements-ux-spec.md

Pattern: {prd-basename}-ux-spec.md (or just UX-spec.md if PRD has generic name)

Do not output to conversation. Always write to file so the spec is persistent and can be passed to mockup tools.

The Iron Law

NO VISUAL SPECS UNTIL ALL 6 PASSES COMPLETE

Not negotiable:

• Don't mention colors, typography, or spacing until Pass 6 is done
• Don't describe screen layouts until information architecture is explicit
• Don't design components until affordances are mapped

No exceptions for urgency:

• "I'm in a hurry" → Passes take 5 minutes; fixing bad UX takes days
• "Just give me screens" → Screens without foundations need rework
• "Skip the analysis" → Analysis IS the value; screens are just output
• "I know what I want" → Then passes will be fast; still do them

Skipping passes to "save time" produces specs that need redesign. The 6 passes ARE the shortcut.

The 6 Passes

Execute these IN ORDER. Each pass produces required outputs before the next begins.

digraph passes {
    rankdir=TB;
    node [shape=box];

    p1 [label="Pass 1: Mental Model\n(What does user think?)"];
    p2 [label="Pass 2: Information Architecture\n(What exists, how organized?)"];
    p3 [label="Pass 3: Affordances\n(What's obvious without explanation?)"];
    p4 [label="Pass 4: Cognitive Load\n(Where will user hesitate?)"];
    p5 [label="Pass 5: State Design\n(How does system talk back?)"];
    p6 [label="Pass 6: Flow Integrity\n(Does this feel inevitable?)"];
    visual [label="THEN: Visual Specifications"];

    p1 -> p2 -> p3 -> p4 -> p5 -> p6 -> visual;
}

Pass 1: User Intent & Mental Model Alignment

Designer mindset: "What does the user think is happening?"

Force these questions:

• What does the user believe this system does?
• What are they trying to accomplish in one sentence?
• What wrong mental models are likely?

Required output:

## Pass 1: Mental Model

**Primary user intent:** [One sentence]

**Likely misconceptions:**

- [Misconception 1]
- [Misconception 2]

**UX principle to reinforce/correct:** [Specific principle]

Pass 2: Information Architecture

Designer mindset: "What exists, and how is it organized?"

Force these actions:

1. Enumerate ALL concepts the user will encounter
2. Group into logical buckets
3. Classify each as: Primary / Secondary / Hidden (progressive)

Required output:

## Pass 2: Information Architecture

**All user-visible concepts:**

- [Concept 1]
- [Concept 2]
- ...

**Grouped structure:**

### [Group Name]

- [Concept]: [Primary/Secondary/Hidden]
- Rationale: [One sentence why this grouping]

### [Group Name]

...

This is where most AI UX attempts fail. If you skip explicit IA, your visual specs will be disorganized.

Pass 3: Affordances & Action Clarity

Designer mindset: "What actions are obvious without explanation?"

Force explicit decisions:

• What is clickable?
• What looks editable?
• What looks like output (read-only)?
• What looks final vs in-progress?

Required output:

## Pass 3: Affordances

| Action   | Visual/Interaction Signal |
| -------- | ------------------------- |
| [Action] | [What makes it obvious]   |

**Affordance rules:**

- If user sees X, they should assume Y
- ...

No visuals required—just clarity on what signals what.

Pass 4: Cognitive Load & Decision Minimization

Designer mindset: "Where will the user hesitate?"

Force identification of:

• Moments of choice (decisions required)
• Moments of uncertainty (unclear what to do)
• Moments of waiting (system processing)

Then apply:

• Collapse decisions (fewer choices)
• Delay complexity (progressive disclosure)
• Introduce defaults (reduce decision burden)

Required output:

## Pass 4: Cognitive Load

**Friction points:**
| Moment | Type | Simplification |
|--------|------|----------------|
| [Where] | Choice/Uncertainty/Waiting | [How to reduce] |

**Defaults introduced:**

- [Default 1]: [Rationale]

Pass 5: State Design & Feedback

Designer mindset: "How does the system talk back?"

Force enumeration of states for EACH major element:

• Empty
• Loading
• Success
• Partial (incomplete data)
• Error

For each state, answer:

• What does the user see?
• What do they understand?
• What can they do next?

Required output:

## Pass 5: State Design

### [Element/Screen]

| State   | User Sees | User Understands | User Can Do |
| ------- | --------- | ---------------- | ----------- |
| Empty   |           |                  |             |
| Loading |           |                  |             |
| Success |           |                  |             |
| Partial |           |                  |             |
| Error   |           |                  |             |

This prevents "dead UX"—screens with no feedback.

Pass 6: Flow Integrity Check

Designer mindset: "Does this feel inevitable?"

Final sanity check:

• Where could users get lost?
• Where would a first-time user fail?
• What must be visible vs can be implied?

Required output:

## Pass 6: Flow Integrity

**Flow risks:**
| Risk | Where | Mitigation |
|------|-------|------------|
| [Risk] | [Location] | [Guardrail/Nudge] |

**Visibility decisions:**

- Must be visible: [List]
- Can be implied: [List]

**UX constraints:** [Any hard rules for the visual phase]

THEN: Visual Specifications

Only after all 6 passes are complete, create:

• Screen layouts
• Component specifications
• Design system (colors, typography, spacing)
• Interaction specifications
• Responsive breakpoints

The 6 passes inform every visual decision.

Red Flags - STOP and Restart

If you catch yourself doing any of these, STOP and return to the passes:

Common Mistakes

Merging passes: "I'll cover mental model while doing IA" → You won't. Separate passes force separate thinking.

Skipping to visuals: "The PRD is clear, I can design screens" → Baseline testing shows agents skip 4+ passes when allowed.

Implicit affordances: "Buttons are obviously clickable" → Map EVERY action explicitly. What's obvious to you isn't obvious to users.

Scattered state design: "I'll add states to each component" → Holistic state table in Pass 5 catches gaps.

Output Template

# UX Specification: [Product Name]

## Pass 1: Mental Model

[Required content]

## Pass 2: Information Architecture

[Required content]

## Pass 3: Affordances

[Required content]

## Pass 4: Cognitive Load

[Required content]

## Pass 5: State Design

[Required content]

## Pass 6: Flow Integrity

[Required content]

---

## Visual Specifications

[Only after passes complete]