2 min read
Polish & Iteration
Prompts for refining your app from prototype to polished product.
Overall Polish
Prototype to finished
This works but feels like a prototype. What would make it feel finished?Audit for rough edges
Walk through every screen and list anything that looks unfinished or inconsistent.Compare to reference
Compare what we have to [reference app/site]. What's the gap in polish?Add real-product details
Add the small details that make this feel like a real product — loading states, transitions, empty states, edge cases.Spacing & Alignment
Audit spacing
The spacing and alignment feel inconsistent. Audit the whole UI and fix it.Add breathing room
Everything feels too cramped. Add more breathing room between sections.Optical alignment
The text and icons aren't optically aligned. Fix the visual alignment.Animations & Transitions
Subtle transitions
Add subtle transitions so nothing feels abrupt. Elements should fade or slide, not just appear.Entrance animation
The [element] appears too suddenly. Add a [fade/slide/scale] entrance.Page transitions
Make the page transitions feel smoother.Empty & Loading States
Empty state
What does [screen] look like when there's no data? Add a helpful empty state.Loading indicators
Add loading indicators where the app fetches data. The user shouldn't see a blank screen.Skeleton loading
Add skeleton loading states instead of a spinner.Final Pass
Check details
Do a final pass: check for typos, missing icons, inconsistent colors, and any rough edges.Test interactions
Test every interactive element. Does everything respond to clicks, hovers, and keyboard input?Dark mode check
Check dark mode. Does everything still look good?Tips
Polish is iterative. Don’t try to fix everything at once — pick one category, fix it, then move to the next. Run through Overall Polish first to get a list of what needs work, then use the specific categories to address each area.