skills/anti-ui-slop/reference/distill.md

# Simplify an interface

Remove obstacles between the user and the main task without removing necessary capability.

## Find the excess

- Identify the primary goal and the information required to complete it.
- Remove repeated copy, duplicate actions, decorative noise, and containers that do not clarify grouping.
- Reduce unnecessary variation in colors, type sizes, button styles, spacing, and surface treatments.
- Prefer one obvious primary action and a small number of clearly subordinate actions.
- Use progressive disclosure for advanced or infrequent controls, but keep essential information visible.

## Preserve clarity

- Do not hide required actions behind mystery interactions.
- Do not remove labels, focus states, accessibility semantics, error messages, or recovery paths.
- Do not flatten genuinely complex information until it becomes harder to understand.
- Prefer spacing and alignment over nested cards; prefer plain language over explanatory copy.

Verify that the simplified result still supports the complete task, including its important states, at the relevant screen sizes.