skills/imago/references/visual_creation_workflow.md

# Visual Creation Workflow

## Goal

Route visual requests quickly without turning every image task into a prompt-engineering conversation.

## 1. Classify the request

### Create
A new visual from text, files, data, or references.

### Edit
Modify an existing image.

### Transform
Use a source image but substantially change style, medium, setting, or presentation.

### Information design
Turn facts, documents, or data into an infographic, diagram, dashboard, slide, map-style graphic, or other structured visual.

### UI / product visualization
Turn a screenshot, wireframe, or brief into a visual interface concept.

## 2. Inspect available evidence

Read/inspect only what is relevant:
- source image;
- reference image(s);
- screenshot;
- PDF/document;
- spreadsheet/data;
- quoted copy;
- current factual sources.

Never claim a reference was inspected if it is absent or inaccessible.

## 3. Decide whether research is required

Research first when accuracy depends on current external facts.

Do not browse merely to decorate a purely creative request.

## 4. Determine hard constraints

Capture only constraints that materially affect output:
- exact text;
- identity/product fidelity;
- aspect ratio;
- transparent background;
- required colors/brand assets;
- source facts/data;
- elements that must remain unchanged.

## 5. Generate/edit directly

Use the available image-generation/editing capability.

Do not replace the requested visual with a prompt-writing exercise.

## 6. Iterate

For revisions:
- preserve accepted elements;
- change only requested dimensions;
- avoid resetting the visual direction unless the user asks.