Menu

Individual skill

similarity-and-contrast

Apply deliberate dissimilarity (contrast) to distinguish elements that need to be perceived as different — primary vs. secondary actions, normal vs. error states, foreground vs. background, the one important thing vs. the rest. Use when you want to emphasize a single element, distinguish roles, or break up a too-uniform layout. Contrast is similarity's complement: similarity groups, contrast separates. The skill is calibrating contrast so it communicates what matters without creating visual chaos.

plugins/HDeibler/universal-design-principles/plugins/perception-and-hierarchy-principles/skills/similarity-and-contrast/SKILL.md

Read pinned source

Source commit d780783eba4ecc7c8b9429f95c9362df95f07c61

What was checked

Matches the observed repository HEAD
Yes
Scanner rules are current
Yes
Repository scan complete
No
Skill scan complete
No
Observed behavior
Network or broad shell
Last checked
Nov 4, 2026

These are observations at the recorded commit, not a guarantee of safety. Review the source before running it.

Install this skill

Choose an agent in your Stack or copy a command below. Commands fetch the pinned commit and copy only this skill directory. Existing destinations are refused. Copying a command does not install anything.

An install command is unavailable: current rules, complete repository and skill scans, an eligible behavior level and a permitted license are required.

Repository context

Repository stars (not skill ratings)
1,532
Repository last updated
Nov 6, 2026
License
Apache-2.0

Observed agent integration: No specific integration evidence. Standard SKILL.md installation does not imply verified compatibility.

Files and excerpt

File metadata and permitted, redacted excerpts come from the recorded scan. Source links are pinned to that commit.

Browse files
Read excerpt

# Similarity and contrast

If similarity makes things feel like they go together, contrast makes things feel different. Used together, they let you communicate "these belong, those don't" through pure visual treatment. Used separately, similarity alone produces a uniform layout where nothing stands out, and contrast alone produces visual chaos where nothing is grouped.

The skill is calibrating both: enough similarity that related items group, enough contrast that distinct things distinguish. Most design problems are calibration problems on this axis.

## When to introduce contrast

Contrast deliberately introduces difference where similarity would be misleading or insufficient. Specifically:

**Primary vs. secondary actions.** A submit button must be distinguishable from a cancel button. The two should not look the same — that misleads users about which is the primary action. Contrast in color, weight, or size separates them.

**Normal vs. exceptional states.** A normal status item should look different from an error item. The exceptional state needs to stand out so users notice it.