Identify design inconsistencies across UI screens including visual patterns, terminology, interaction behaviors, and component usage. Use when comparing multiple screens, auditing design system compliance, checking for pattern drift, or when user mentions "consistency", "design audit", "pattern library", "style guide", or "design system compliance".
Detect inconsistencies in visual design, terminology, and interaction patterns across screens.
Same visual treatment for same functional elements.
Check across screens:
Same words for same concepts.
Common violations:
| Screen A | Screen B | Issue |
|---|---|---|
| "Delete" | "Remove" | Different verbs for same action |
| "Settings" | "Preferences" | Different nouns for same destination |
| "Submit" |
| "Save" |
| Unclear which commits data |
| "Cancel" | "Close" | Different exit behaviors implied |
Same interactions produce same results.
Check:
Same layout patterns for same content types.
Check:
# Consistency Audit: [Product/Feature Name]
## Summary
- Screens audited: X
- Inconsistencies found: X
- Critical: X | Major: X | Minor: X
## Findings
### Visual Inconsistencies
| Element | Screen A | Screen B | Impact |
|---------|----------|----------|--------|
| Primary button | Blue, rounded | Blue, square | Minor - visual polish |
| Error color | #ff0000 | #cc0000 | Minor - brand cohesion |
### Terminological Inconsistencies
| Concept | Variations Found | Recommended Standard |
|---------|-----------------|---------------------|
| Remove item | "Delete", "Remove", "Trash" | Use "Delete" consistently |
### Behavioral Inconsistencies
| Interaction | Screen A | Screen B | Recommendation |
|------------|----------|----------|----------------|
| Delete confirmation | Shows dialog | Immediate | Always confirm destructive actions |
### Structural Inconsistencies
| Pattern | Screen A | Screen B | Recommendation |
|---------|----------|----------|----------------|
| List actions | Right-aligned | Inline badges | Standardize to right-aligned |
## Recommendations
1. **[Priority fix]**: [Description]
2. **[Next fix]**: [Description]
| Severity | Impact | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | Causes user confusion, errors | "Save" vs "Submit" with different behaviors |
| Major | Noticeably unprofessional | Different icon styles across screens |
| Minor | Only designers notice | Slightly different spacing values |
For consistency checklist templates: See references/consistency-matrices.md