# Anti-Slop Checklist

Run through every item before you ship. If you check fewer than 80% of these, your portfolio probably looks AI-generated.

---

## Typography

- [ ] You use 2 font sizes maximum (body + heading) — not 5
- [ ] Line height is set deliberately, not left at browser default
- [ ] Letter-spacing is consistent (not tight on some headings, loose on others)
- [ ] You chose your typeface intentionally, not whatever the AI tool defaulted to
- [ ] No orphaned single words sitting alone on a line in your hero

## Color

- [ ] Your palette has 2–3 colors maximum, not a rainbow
- [ ] No generic purple-to-blue gradients you didn't choose deliberately
- [ ] Dark mode (if present) was designed, not auto-inverted
- [ ] Accent color is used sparingly and consistently
- [ ] Text contrast passes WCAG AA (4.5:1 for body text)

## Layout & Spacing

- [ ] Spacing uses a consistent rhythm (4px or 8px base)
- [ ] Sections have breathing room — not crammed, not floating
- [ ] Content width is readable (~60–75 characters per line)
- [ ] Mobile layout was checked, not just assumed to work
- [ ] No awkward content reflows at common breakpoints (768px, 1024px, 1440px)

## Content & Copy

- [ ] Your name appears on the page — not "Designer Portfolio"
- [ ] Hero copy was written by you, not generated ("passionate designer crafting digital experiences" = slop)
- [ ] Project descriptions explain the problem, your role, and the outcome
- [ ] No placeholder text or lorem ipsum anywhere
- [ ] About section sounds like you, not a LinkedIn summary

## Visual Identity

- [ ] If you swapped your name for someone else's, would anyone notice? (If no: add more personality)
- [ ] Project images are high quality, not compressed thumbnails
- [ ] Consistent border-radius across all elements
- [ ] Consistent shadow treatment (or no shadows — both are fine, mixing isn't)
- [ ] No stock illustrations or generic 3D blobs

## Technical

- [ ] Page loads in under 3 seconds on mobile
- [ ] Images are optimized (WebP or AVIF, not uncompressed PNGs)
- [ ] Links work — every project, every social, every CTA
- [ ] Favicon is set (not the default framework icon)
- [ ] Meta title and description are set for SEO
- [ ] OG image is set (so link previews look intentional)

## The Final Test

- [ ] Show it to a designer friend without context. Ask them: "Does this look AI-generated?" If they hesitate — keep iterating.

---

_From AI Design HQ — [aidesignhq.com](https://aidesignhq.com)_