Audit First. Vibe Code Second.

The framework I follow before touching a single screen.

Everyone wants to redesign.

Very few people stop to understand what they're redesigning.

Today, AI makes it even easier.

Open Cursor.
Open Lovable.
Write a prompt.
Generate a prettier UI.

Done?

Not really.

I used to work the same way.

Now, before I touch a single pixel or write a single prompt, I audit the entire product.

Not a quick scroll.

A proper teardown.

Every screen.
Every flow.
Every state.
Every frustration.

All on one board.

Recently, I did this for MyZesty, an AI content generation product in the same space as tools like Imagine.art.

The audit alone explained more about the product than hours of redesigning ever could.

Why I audit first

Most redesigns fail for one simple reason.

People start solving problems before they know what the actual problem is.

Every issue inside a product usually falls into one of three categories:

• Something is broken.

• Something works but creates a poor experience.

• Or... it's completely fine, and you just don't personally like it.

Those are three very different problems.

Yet they're often treated exactly the same.

That's how teams spend weeks polishing something nobody needed while real usability issues stay untouched.

An audit removes opinion from the conversation.

My Audit Framework

1. Capture everything

Not the screens you remember.

The entire product.

Every screen.
Every modal.
Every loading state.
Every empty state.

The problems you stop noticing are usually the ones your users notice first.

2. Bring competitors into the same board

Never review a product in isolation.

Place 3–5 competitors right beside it.

Not to copy.

To calibrate.

When you can compare experiences side by side, gaps become obvious.

3. Annotate everything

No filtering.

No polishing.

Just sticky notes.

Questions.

Frustrations.

Ideas.

Confusion.

Capture every reaction while it's fresh.

Editing comes later.

4. Separate functional problems from design problems

This changes everything.

A broken flow...

...is not the same as inconsistent spacing.

One blocks users.

The other simply feels less polished.

When everything lives in one giant list, priorities become a mess.

5. Organize findings by feature

Don't treat the product as one giant screen.

Break it down.

For MyZesty, I grouped findings under features like:

• Story+
• AI Character
• AI Animation
• Avatar

This makes planning dramatically easier.

Now you're fixing the most important feature instead of chasing random issues.

6. Reduce everything into one prioritized list

The audit board is intentionally messy.

The outcome shouldn't be.

Your final list should be short.

Clear.

Prioritized.

If it takes three pages to explain...

...you probably haven't simplified enough.

7. Then... vibe code

This is where AI shines.

Once I know the highest-impact opportunities...

I prototype them immediately.

Cursor.

Lovable.

Whatever helps me validate the idea quickly.

But every prototype must answer one question:

What business or user value does this create?

Not:

"This looks cleaner."

Instead:

• Reduces onboarding drop-off

• Improves task completion

• Makes generation easier to understand

• Increases engagement

Pretty interfaces don't automatically create better products.

Better outcomes do.

AI changed the build process.

It didn't remove the need to think.

In fact...

It made thinking even more valuable.

Today, generating a screen takes minutes.

Generating the right screen still takes understanding.

That's why I always audit first.

Then I vibe code.

Not the other way around.

If you're building products with AI, don't let speed replace clarity.

A few hours spent understanding the product can save weeks of redesigning the wrong thing.

Think first. Build second.

That's still the fastest workflow.

If you're trying to build smarter products, not just prettier ones - let's connect. I share practical insights into UX, product design, and AI workflows every week.