---
name: principle-importance-is-obvious
description: "Apply when building or changing any UI. Make what matters, what happened, and what to do next obvious without explanation."
disable-model-invocation: true
---

# Importance Is Obvious

Choose clarity and user experience over implementation convenience. Follow the project's design system; without one, use restrained surfaces, clear type, and consistent spacing.

- **Make the priority clear.** Emphasize the main task or action. Keep secondary actions visually quieter.
- **Give colour meaning.** Use it to reinforce hierarchy and status. Pair status colours with a label or icon; decoration must not compete with the main action.
- **Show what happened.** Give actions clear progress, success, or failure feedback, with a recovery path when needed.
- **Make keyboard use work.** Primary actions are reachable and focus is visible.

Check the rendered UI in its relevant states: can someone tell what matters, what happened, and what to do next without explanation?