Variants With a Switcher
Ask for several versions of a UI element at once, with a switcher to flip between them, instead of one version to critique.
The prompt
"come up with a few different variants and add a switcher" (Emil Kowalski)
The switcher saves the selected variant in a query parameter, so a link shows a colleague one exact version. Pair it with a controls library such as Leva for values that shape the interaction. Source: X/@emilkowalski, 2026-07-24 He later packaged it as a /prototype skill. Source: X/@emilkowalski, 2026-07-27
Why it works
One version gets judged against nothing, so feedback is vague ("make it pop"). Several versions side by side get compared, and comparison is easier and sharper than critique. Variants are cheap for an agent to make, so the cost that used to limit exploration is gone. The query parameter turns a private choice into a shareable link, so the decision can happen with others.
When to use it
- Animations, transitions and small components where feel matters more than spec.
- Early in a feature, before one direction hardens.
Delete the losing variants once one is chosen; a switcher left in production code is debt.
Which skill runs it
Kevin's prototype skill builds throwaway prototypes to settle one design question, including comparing UI variants. Design-Tree Exploration (Shape Before Depth) covers branching designs more broadly.
The reason to prototype in code: with AI it is fast to try things for real, and touching the UI lets you feel it instead of imagining it. Source: X/@emilkowalski, 2026-08-03
Timeline
- 2026-11-03 | Page created from the variants prompt and the
/prototypeskill launch. Source: X bookmarks, 2026-07-24 and 2026-07-27