tvos-design-guidelines

Overview of tvos-design-guidelines skill

The tvos-design-guidelines skill is a practical Apple TV design rule set for teams building or reviewing tvOS interfaces. It helps you decide whether a screen, navigation flow, or playback UI will actually work on the couch before you ship it. If you need the tvos-design-guidelines skill for UI Design, this is the right fit when focus movement, Siri Remote behavior, 10-foot readability, or media controls are the real risks.

What this skill is best for

Use tvos-design-guidelines when you are designing tvOS apps, auditing an existing Apple TV interface, or writing prompts for a model that must reason about focus-based navigation. It is especially useful for checkout-style evaluation, screen-by-screen critique, and implementation guidance where small interaction mistakes create major usability problems.

Why it is different from a generic prompt

A normal design prompt may mention “Apple TV” but miss the constraints that matter most: no pointer, no touch, predictable focus order, and remote-first control. This tvos-design-guidelines guide centers those constraints early, so the output is less likely to suggest mobile patterns that fail on tvOS.

Main adoption risks it addresses

The biggest blockers are focus traps, unclear selection states, remote behavior that breaks expected navigation, and layouts that look fine on a monitor but fail at living-room distance. The skill is strongest when you want rule-based guidance that can catch those issues before implementation.

How to Use tvos-design-guidelines skill

Install and start with the core files

Install with npx skills add ehmo/platform-design-skills --skill tvos-design-guidelines. After that, read SKILL.md first, then AGENTS.md, metadata.json, and rules/_sections.md. Those files tell you what the skill optimizes for, which rules are critical, and where the strongest tvOS design constraints live.

Give it a task, not a topic

The skill works best when your input names the screen, user goal, and platform context. Weak input: “Review this Apple TV app.” Strong input: “Review the movie detail screen for tvOS and check focus order, default focus, remote back behavior, and whether metadata remains readable at 10-foot distance.” That kind of prompt makes the tvos-design-guidelines usage concrete and actionable.

What to include in your prompt

Provide the layout type, primary actions, any media playback behavior, and whether the view is new or a redesign. If relevant, mention constraints like top shelf support, accessibility needs, or custom focus movement. The more you describe the interaction path, the easier it is for the skill to judge whether the design respects the tvOS design guidelines install assumptions.

Practical workflow for better output

Start with a rough prompt, then ask for a rule-based review, then ask for fixes. For example: “Evaluate this screen against tvOS focus rules, list violations by severity, then rewrite the interaction model.” That sequence produces better output than asking for a final design in one step, because the skill can first expose gaps before you ask for remediation.

tvos-design-guidelines skill FAQ

Is this only for Apple TV app design?

Yes. The tvos-design-guidelines skill is centered on tvOS interaction patterns and is most valuable for Apple TV interfaces, focus navigation, and living-room viewing constraints. If your product does not rely on remote-driven navigation, the guidance will be less useful than a general UI design prompt.

Does it replace Apple’s HIG?

No. It is a practical working layer on top of Apple Human Interface Guidelines, not a substitute for them. Use it when you want a faster, more operational tvos-design-guidelines guide that turns HIG concepts into design and implementation checks.

Is it beginner-friendly?

Mostly yes, because the highest-value rules are concrete: focus must be visible, movement must be predictable, and remote actions must stay simple. Beginners benefit because the skill reduces guesswork, but it still helps to know basic tvOS terms like focus, top shelf, and Siri Remote.

When should I not use it?

Do not use it for touch-first iPhone or iPad layouts, or for generic UI work where focus navigation is not the central problem. It is also a poor fit if you need brand strategy or motion concepts without any platform constraints, because the skill is designed for tvos-design-guidelines install decisions and implementation review.

How to Improve tvos-design-guidelines skill

Give tighter screen context

The best results come from prompts that specify the exact screen and state: browse page, detail page, playback overlay, settings, or onboarding. Include what the user is trying to do, what can be selected, and where focus should land first. That context lets the skill apply tvos-design-guidelines more precisely instead of giving generic advice.

Surface the common failure modes early

Ask explicitly about focus traps, unreachable controls, ambiguous selection states, and any place where focus may jump across the layout. If a screen contains grids, carousels, or mixed content, say so; those patterns are where tvOS output most often breaks down.

Iterate with constraints, not aesthetics

If the first answer is too broad, narrow the next pass by asking for one of three things: a rule violation list, a revised focus map, or a remote interaction audit. This improves the tvos-design-guidelines usage because the skill can correct a specific problem instead of re-explaining the whole platform.

Use repo references as a checklist

For deeper refinement, compare the answer against rules/_sections.md and metadata.json. Those files are useful when you want to confirm severity, identify the critical categories, or turn the skill into an internal review checklist for tvOS work.