How to use the Direction Picker agent skill

What is an agent skill and what does Direction Picker do?

An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file with instructions and metadata. When your agent is working on a matching task, it reads those instructions and follows them. The skill's name is direction-picker, and it is part of the Open Design project from nexu-io, licensed under Apache-2.0.

When an agent is planning a design, the skill resolves the visual direction from the brief and design system. It checks sources in a fixed order: first an active design system, whose palette, typography, spacing and component rules define the direction; then a brand spec, reference URL or screenshot the user supplied; and otherwise it infers a fitting direction from the brief's domain, audience and tone. The agent then applies that direction's colours, fonts and spacing and states it in one line before building.

• Uses the active design system first if one exists
• Falls back to a brand spec, reference URL or screenshot you provided
• Otherwise infers a direction from the brief's domain, audience and tone
• Tells the agent not to ask you to choose from visual options

Install the Direction Picker skill

Download the ZIP file from this page. Then choose one of two install routes. For a personal setup available across your projects, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, unzip it into that project's .claude/skills/ folder.

If you use the Claude apps instead, upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

• Personal: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/
• Project only: unzip into .claude/skills/ inside the project
• Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the ZIP

Check what the skill needs before you run it

The skill depends on the Open Design runtime. It expects the environment variables $OD_NODE_BIN and $OD_BIN to be provided, because the directions lookup tool is called through them. Without that runtime, the lookup step cannot run.

The package lists two files: open-design.json and SKILL.md. The skill runs scripts and does not use the network, according to its listing.

• Requires the Open Design runtime providing $OD_NODE_BIN and $OD_BIN
• Runs scripts: yes
• Uses network: no

How do you trigger the skill with natural requests?

You do not need a special command. The skill applies when the agent is planning a design. Give a short brief that describes the product, audience and tone, and ask for the visual work. The agent should then decide the direction itself during planning.

If you already have a design system or brand spec, mention it or attach it. The skill uses that source first, so your existing identity will shape the output instead of an inferred style.

• "Plan a landing page for a children's science museum. Friendly, energetic, for parents."
• "Design a one-page pitch visual for a B2B invoicing tool. Calm and precise. Use our design system."
• "Make a launch poster for a local coffee roaster. Warm and handmade feel."

What does the agent do during the plan stage?

The skill treats the planning stage as the moment to commit. The agent decides the direction, states it in one line, and then builds against it. The skill's convergence rule says the next turn must build against the stated direction. Changing course would mean returning to the plan stage again.

If the runtime gives the agent only a list of direction ids and names, the skill tells it to retrieve the full specification with the directions tool rather than guess colours or fonts from a name. The tool is called in this form:

Safety notes on scripts and network access

The skill runs scripts, so review the SKILL.md and open-design.json files before installing, as you would with any code you add to an agent. The listing states that it does not use the network.

Only install it from the source you trust. Because the directions tool depends on environment variables supplied by the Open Design runtime, make sure that runtime is one you have set up and trust.

• Read SKILL.md and open-design.json before installing
• Scripts are run, so install only from a source you trust
• No network use is listed

Tips for getting good results

Give the agent a clear brief with domain, audience and tone, because those are the inputs it uses when no design system exists. Keep a design system or brand spec in place for brand-sensitive work. Without one, an inferred direction may not match your real identity, so review it before publishing.

• Write a brief that names the domain, audience and tone
• Add a design system or brand spec when identity matters
• Review inferred directions for brand-sensitive work
• Do not expect the agent to offer several options; it is designed to commit to one