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universal-industry — Claude Code skill: animation defaults

A skill that turns Disney's 12 animation principles into UI defaults for timing, easing and motion rules when no industry guide applies.

Install into Claude Code · Skills CLI (Vercel) All methods and platforms ↓
npx skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill universal-industry -a claude-code
Open on GitHub

What universal-industry does

This skill is a starting point for interface animation when you have no industry-specific guidance to follow. It walks through Disney's 12 principles rewritten for UI: each one gets a default, a note on what to adjust it by, and a universal rule you should not break. Squash and stretch, for instance, defaults to subtle compression on interactive elements, with the hard rule that data and important content never get distorted.

Timing lives in a table. Micro-interactions run 100-150ms with ease-out, standard transitions 200-300ms with ease-in-out, complex animations 300-500ms. A separate framework covers brand personality and user context: professional brands get less bounce, premium ones get slower timing and softer curves. There is also a section on adapting to an industry when you do have expectations to meet.

The author takes a clear stance: when in doubt, go subtle and efficient. Linear easing is off the table for UI motion, one main focus per screen state, and irreversible actions always need a signal first. Worth checking your existing curves against that last rule.

What it helps with

  • pick timing and easing for a transition with no design guide
  • explain to a team why an animation feels janky
  • tone motion down for a serious brand
  • separate data animation from character animation
  • set one motion ruleset across a whole product

Example prompts for the agent

  • pick timing and easing for a modal using the universal-industry skill
  • check my CSS transitions against the 12 animation principles
  • I need motion for a premium interface — suggest restrained values

How to install universal-industry

1Skills CLI (Vercel)

npx skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill universal-industry -a claude-code

2Manually: put the files in place

~/.claude/skills/universal-industry/SKILL.md

Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/universal-industry/

Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to install skills in Claude Code: five ways

Questions about universal-industry

How do I install universal-industry in Claude?

Run npx skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill universal-industry -a claude-code. The skill lands at ~/.claude/skills/universal-industry/SKILL.md.

What does universal-industry do?

It maps Disney's 12 animation principles onto defaults, adjustment notes and universal UI rules. Use it to choose timing and easing when no industry-specific guidance applies.

Which platforms support the skill?

Install instructions cover Claude, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI and OpenCode. GitHub Copilot uses a different command: gh skill install dylantarre/animation-principles universal-industry.

Source text

SKILL.md · MIT
---
name: universal-industry
description: Use when designing animations for any industry or when industry-specific guidelines do not apply
---

# Universal Animation Principles

Apply Disney's 12 principles as flexible foundations that adapt to any industry context with sensible defaults.

## The 12 Principles Applied

### 1. Squash & Stretch
- **Default**: Subtle compression on interactive elements
- **Adjust By**: Brand personality (playful = more, serious = less)
- **Universal Rule**: Never distort data or important content

### 2. Anticipation
- **Default**: Brief pause before significant actions
- **Adjust By**: Action importance (bigger action = more anticipation)
- **Universal Rule**: Always signal before irreversible actions

### 3. Staging
- **Default**: Primary action takes visual focus
- **Adjust By**: Content hierarchy and user goals
- **Universal Rule**: One main focus per screen state

### 4. Straight Ahead & Pose to Pose
- **Default**: Pose to pose for UI, straight ahead for data
- **Adjust By**: Content type and interaction pattern
- **Universal Rule**: Match approach to content predictability

### 5. Follow Through & Overlapping Action
- **Default**: Related elements animate in sequence
- **Adjust By**: Visual complexity and element relationships
- **Universal Rule**: Primary element completes before secondary

### 6. Slow In & Slow Out
- **Default**: ease-in-out for most transitions
- **Adjust By**: UI context (entrances = ease-out, exits = ease-in)
- **Universal Rule**: Never use linear for UI motion

### 7. Arc
- **Default**: Subtle curves for natural movement
- **Adjust By**: Interface formality (casual = more arc)
- **Universal Rule**: Straight lines for data, curves for character

### 8. Secondary Action
- **Default**: One supporting animation per primary action
- **Adjust By**: Moment importance and brand expression
- **Universal Rule**: Secondary never overshadows primary

### 9. Timing
- **Default**: 200-300ms for standard interactions
- **Adjust By**: Industry pace and user expectations
- **Universal Rule**: Faster for frequent, slower for significant

### 10. Exaggeration
- **Default**: Subtle, 10-20% beyond literal
- **Adjust By**: Brand personality and context appropriateness
- **Universal Rule**: Exaggerate successes, minimize failures

### 11. Solid Drawing
- **Default**: Consistent visual language throughout
- **Adjust By**: Platform conventions and brand guidelines
- **Universal Rule**: Maintain perspective and proportions

### 12. Appeal
- **Default**: Clean, refined motion that feels intentional
- **Adjust By**: Target audience and brand personality
- **Universal Rule**: Animation should never feel accidental

## Universal Timing Defaults

| Action | Duration | Easing |
|--------|----------|--------|
| Micro-interaction | 100-150ms | ease-out |
| Standard Transition | 200-300ms | ease-in-out |
| Complex Animation | 300-500ms | ease-in-out |
| Emphasis Moment | 400-600ms | custom |
| Page Transition | 300-400ms | ease-in-out |

## Adaptation Framework

### By Brand Personality
- **Professional**: Reduce squash/stretch, minimize exaggeration
- **Playful**: Increase bounce, add secondary actions
- **Premium**: Slower timing, refined easing curves
- **Energetic**: Faster timing, more dynamic motion

### By User Context
- **Working**: Minimize animation, maximize efficiency
- **Browsing**: Enhance discovery with motion
- **Celebrating**: Amplify positive moments
- **Learning**: Support comprehension with motion

## Key Principle
Start with sensible defaults, then calibrate based on industry expectations, brand personality, and user context. When in doubt, err toward subtlety and efficiency.

© dylantarre · MIT · dylantarre/animation-principles

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