PR #111 merged: docs(ux): UX overhaul plan — audit, tokens spec, 8 phase briefs
What this PR delivers
The plan itself, not code. Implementation lands in subsequent per-phase PRs.
After merging this, anyone can pick up the work from a blank slate by
reading docs/ux-overhaul/ — start at README.md for the status board,
follow KICKOFF.md to resume in a fresh Claude session.
Why
We've been playing whack-a-mole. The May 2026 Playwright audit surfaced 21 issues across the public site spanning data freshness, mobile responsiveness, link/typography inconsistency, navigation, brand coherence and edge-state messaging. Fixing them one at a time duplicates effort and produces drift. This plan establishes a tokens foundation + structured phase sequence so the work becomes additive instead of patchwork.
Contents
docs/ux-overhaul/
├── README.md # status board + how to use
├── 00-audit.md # the audit findings
├── 01-tokens-spec.md # wire-service-editorial aesthetic + tokens
├── 02-process.md # how to brief sub-agents + review
├── KICKOFF.md # fresh-session prompt
└── phases/
├── phase-1-tokens-foundation.md # tokens.css + Tailwind v4 wiring
├── phase-2-datatable-primitive.md # responsive DataTable (replaces Leaderboard)
├── phase-3-data-freshness.md # timestamps + contextual empty states
├── phase-4-visual-language.md # SmartLink, MetricValue, type hierarchy
├── phase-5-navigation-transitions.md # Breadcrumb, Inertia progress
├── phase-6-content-polish.md # /reports/index card upgrade
├── phase-7-color-semantics.md # StatusBadge, 3-colour palette applied
└── phase-8-showpiece-additions.md # per-prediction share view + pre-warm
Each phase doc is complete — sub-agent brief, file list, acceptance criteria, verification commands. A fresh-context Claude session can execute any phase by reading the relevant doc.
What changes if this lands
- Future UX work cuts a phase-specific branch (
feature/ux-phase-N-<slug>), not arbitrary ad-hoc commits to main. - Sub-agents get a structured brief from the phase doc rather than ad-hoc conversational prompts.
- The status board in
README.mdis the single source of truth for progress.
Test plan
- All docs render correctly in GitHub's markdown viewer
- No code changes — existing tests unaffected
- No production impact (docs-only)
Review notes
- The audit screenshots referenced in
00-audit.mdare gitignored (audit-*.pngat repo root). They exist locally as evidence; happy to upload to the PR description if useful. - Tokens spec was produced by the
/frontend-designskill on 2026-05-16. It honours the existing zinc/emerald + Instrument Serif identity while adding the missing amber + rose semantic accents. - KICKOFF.md is intentionally self-contained so a future Stu or future Claude can resume without re-reading conversation history.