9 October 2026 · Product Design source check
Know the screen before you ask for three designs.
OpenAI Product Design Ideate is a conditional choice when you need visual alternatives for a named screen. Its current instructions say to wait until Get Context establishes the design target and intended user outcome. The files are on mutable main; we did not load the plugin or generate images.
Choose by the work left to do
| Situation | Next step | Do not assume |
|---|---|---|
| You cannot name the screen or what its user must do. | Write those two facts in a brief before choosing any design skill. Get Context makes them a gate for Product Design work. | A longer skill prompt will supply the missing product decision. |
| You know the screen, but need to choose a visual direction. | Try Ideate with the brief and relevant references, then choose a direction before build work. | Three images prove the direction is usable or can be implemented faithfully. |
| You need to fix spacing or a sidebar in a running app. | Point to the exact element or screenshot, make the change, and inspect the rendered state. | A fresh ideation round is necessary for a local correction. |
A designer's community question describes the last case: they want element-level visual feedback while moving between coding agents. That is one request, not a measured need or a skill result.
What we still need to test
We have not installed Product Design or compared a brief-only task with Ideate. Its Get Context file also refers to plugin router, overrides, and saved user context; the skill file alone is not a standalone install guide. Keep the original source and the rendered result if you trial it.