Wayfinders
Give users clues about what to ask for and how to start, before they know the system's shape.
7 patterns in this family
Same kind of element, used at different moments of the task.
A curated set of example prompts on the empty state, teaching capability by demonstration rather than description.
An in-place hint that an AI action is available on the object the user is already looking at.
A structured form that produces a good prompt, trading expressive freedom for reliable output.
Post-response chips that propose the next reasonable move, keeping momentum without new typing.
A plain statement of what the agent can do, what it cannot, and what it will never do without asking.
Finished outputs shown with the prompt and settings that produced them, teaching by worked example.
A surprise-me action that produces a valid result with no input, lowering the cost of the first try.
Critique checklist for wayfinders
These questions apply to every pattern in this family. Ticks are saved in this browser.