3.1 Why Change the Interface First, and Why Choose a Clear Style Direction First
Many people feel that since the project is already running, maybe they should first add features, learn the underlying principles, or connect more capabilities. That works too, but for the basic version, improving the interface first is often more cost-effective. Because the interface is the most intuitive part. Whether a page looks like a template, whether it has visual hierarchy, whether it feels like something you would actually want to share with others—these are things both you and other people can see immediately, with almost no explanation. It is especially well suited as the next practice ground for continued collaboration between you and AI.
What you are really practicing here is not “design ability” itself, but expression. In your mind, you probably already have some vague judgments: this page feels too scattered, the colors do not feel like me, the hero section lacks focus, the chat entry point is not prominent enough. The problem usually is not that you have no sense of it at all, but that you are not yet very good at articulating those feelings clearly. Chapter 3 uses the most intuitive layer to help you practice exactly that.
Why the interface is especially suitable as the next step
Because it gives feedback the fastest. If you change an API, complex logic, or a data structure, you often need an extra layer of understanding before you can judge whether it was worth it; but the interface is different. After adjusting the hero section layout, you can immediately see whether the page looks better; if you make the chat entry point more obvious, you can also tell almost right away whether people will notice it.
For beginners, this kind of fast feedback is very important. It makes it easier for you to build confidence: it turns out I am not limited to saying something vague like “make it look nicer”—I really can push the page step by step in the direction I want.
Do not choose too many style directions; aim for consistency first
Before you start making changes, one very important step is to choose a direction first, rather than trying to get everything at once. Many pages become more chaotic the more they are revised, not because they were not changed enough, but because the direction is unstable. One moment you want minimal and professional, then warm and friendly, and then a bit of a tech feel—and in the end, you easily wind up with three styles coexisting at the same time. For the basic version, you do not need many styles, just a unified one. You can absolutely start by choosing the direction that feels closest to you, and then establish that direction first.
You can start by choosing the one among the following three that feels closest to you:
| Direction | What it feels more like | What scenarios it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Minimal and professional | Restrained, clear, information-first | When you want others to quickly understand who you are and what you do |
| Warm and friendly | Human, open to conversation, less distant | When you want to emphasize expression, content, and a sense of communication |
| Slight tech feel | Clean, digital, slightly futuristic | When you are already working on AI-, product-, or technology-related content |
None of them is absolutely better than the others. The key is whether it is consistent, and whether it matches the first impression you want others to have of you.
First define the direction in one sentence
If you still cannot describe it clearly right now, you can first write a one-sentence direction statement for your page. For example:
I want a personal homepage that is minimal and professional, with clear information hierarchy and a slight touch of tech feel.Or:
I want the homepage to feel warm and friendly, easy to engage with, not too much like a résumé, and not too much like a template site.This step may look like “defining a feeling,” but it is actually very important. Because once the direction is clear, when you later ask AI to adjust layout, colors, or hierarchy, you are no longer waving your hands in the air—you are converging toward a direction you can already put into words.
Next section: The three interface changes with the highest return on effort →