---
name: principle-experience-first
description: Optimize for the end-user experience unless the cost violates an explicit constraint. Use when product, UX, API design, or feature-scope tradeoffs arise.
---
# Experience First

## Trigger

When product, UX, API design, or feature-scope tradeoffs arise.

## Rule

Optimize for the end-user experience unless the cost violates an explicit constraint.

## Application

1. Name the concrete decision this principle changes.
2. Apply the rule to that decision, not as a decorative citation.
3. Prefer evidence from the current repository/runtime over generic preference.
4. If the principle conflicts with an explicit user constraint, keep the constraint and state the tradeoff.