name: flow-patterns description: "Task sequences, progressive disclosure, and the pacing of an experience over time. Use when designing multi-step flows, evaluating onboarding, or diagnosing why users get lost."

Flow Patterns

How a product feels over time, not just in a single frame.

How to use

• /flow-patterns Apply flow design constraints to this conversation.

Constraints

Flow Principles

• MUST ensure the user can answer at any point: where am I, where did I come from, what happens next?
• MUST use the minimum number of steps for the complexity of the action. Not zero steps. The right number.
• MUST design error recovery as part of the flow, not an afterthought
• SHOULD prefer undo over confirmation ("Action completed. Undo?" beats "Are you sure?")

Progressive Disclosure

• MUST show only what's needed now and reveal complexity on demand
• MUST decide at what point "simple" becomes "hiding things"
• SHOULD use contextual actions (show actions where the content is, not in a distant toolbar)
• SHOULD use smart defaults (pre-fill based on context, set the most common option)

Anti-Patterns

• Multi-step flows with no progress indicator
• Asking for information you could have inferred from context
• Dead-end error states with no recovery path
• Mandatory steps that aren't actually required
• Confirmation dialogs for easily reversible actions