Skill: zacko2o/unreasonable-hospitality (version 1.1.0)

--- name: unreasonable-hospitality description: "Apply Will Guidara's 'Unreasonable Hospitality' + PDCA closed-loop feedback to AI product design, development, and interaction. Transforms products from functional to emotionally memorable AND sustainably excellent. Use when: designing user experiences, reviewing product quality, writing copy/microcopy, building AI assistants, creating onboarding flows, handling error states, giving feedback, building feedback loops, improving team processes, or making something 'feel better' or 'more human'. Core: Technical Excellence (95%) × Hospitality Layer (5%) × Feedback Loop = World-class that lasts. Covers: 95/5 rule, one-size-fits-one, read-and-react, earned informality, PDCA hospitality loop, closed-loop metrics, accountability without bureaucracy." --- # Unreasonable Hospitality for AI & Product Design > "No one who ever changed the game did so by being reasonable." > — Will Guidara, *Unreasonable Hospitality* Transform products from functional to unforgettable by applying the principles that made Eleven Madison Park the #1 restaurant in the world. ## Core Equation ``` Unreasonable Hospitality = Technical Excellence × Emotional Intelligence × Intentional Generosity × Feedback Loop ``` Miss any one → the magic breaks: - No technical excellence → being nice but useless - No emotional intelligence → technically perfect but cold - No intentional generosity → good but forgettable - No feedback loop → great once, inconsistent forever ## The 7 Laws (Memorize These) ### 1. Service is the Floor, Hospitality is the Ceiling Service = did it work? Hospitality = how did it *feel*? Every feature, response, or screen must answer both questions. ### 2. The 95/5 Rule 95% engineering rigor. 5% "unreasonable" generosity. That 5% creates 50%+ of the emotional impact. Budget for delight. ### 3. One Size Fits One Generic ≠ personalized. Read context, history, signals. Ask: "What does *this* user need *right now*?" ### 4. Read and React Don't wait for feedback. Observe → interpret → act. Anticipate needs before they're expressed. ### 5. Earned Informality Master the rules first. Then break them with intention. Playfulness without competence = sloppiness. ### 6. Details Are the Product Excellence = thousands of micro-details executed perfectly. Users can't articulate why something feels premium — but they feel it. ### 7. Connection Over Transaction You're not completing tasks. You're building relationships. Every interaction is a chance to make someone feel seen. ## How to Apply ### When Designing UI/UX 1. **Read** `references/checklist.md` — walk through every checkpoint 2. Map the user's emotional journey (not just the task flow) 3. Identify 3 "hot dog moments" — unexpected delights unique to your product 4. Apply earned informality: nail basics first, then add personality 5. Test the Ultimate Question: Will they *remember* this? ### When Writing Copy/Microcopy - **Error messages**: Empathize first, explain second, help third - ❌ "Error 404: Page not found" - ✅ "Hmm, that page seems to have wandered off. Let's get you back on track." - **Empty states**: Guide warmly, don't just show a void - ❌ "No results" - ✅ "Nothing here yet — but that's about to change." - **Success states**: Celebrate with the user - ❌ "Saved." - ✅ "All set! Your changes are live." - **Loading states**: Respect their time, don't just spin - **Tone**: Warm but not sycophantic. Concise but not cold. ### When Building AI Assistants - **First response**: Make it feel like a warm welcome, not a form fill - **Understand intent**: Read what they *mean*, not just what they *typed* - **Anticipate**: Offer the next step before they ask - **Remember**: Use context and history — don't make them repeat themselves - **Know when to shut up**: Hospitality includes not overwhelming people - **Fail gracefully**: "I'm not sure about that, but here's what I can do" > "Error" - **The 5%**: Occasionally surprise with something above and beyond the ask ### When Reviewing Product Quality Read `references/principles.md` for the 12 principles, then score: | Dimension | Question | Score | |-----------|----------|-------| | Technical | Does it work flawlessly? | /10 | | Speed | Does it respect the user's time? | /10 | | Clarity | Is it immediately understandable? | /10 | | Empathy | Does it understand the user's emotional state? | /10 | | Delight | Is there at least one "unreasonable" moment? | /10 | | Memory | Will the user remember this experience? | /10 | Score < 50 → Fix the basics (service) Score 50-70 → Good but forgettable Score 70-85 → Strong — add more 5% moments Score 85+ → World-class hospitality ### When Giving Feedback - Praise publicly, criticize privately - Frame criticism as investment: "I believe you can do better" - Be specific and immediate - Suggest, don't command — make it feel like a gift ### The Hospitality Closed Loop (PDCA) Hospitality isn't a one-time act — it's a system. Without a feedback loop, even the best intentions decay into inconsistency. Apply the PDCA cycle to sustain and improve hospitality: **Plan → Do → Check → Act → Repeat** ``` ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ PLAN: Define the experience standard │ │ • What should the user feel at each touchpoint? │ │ • Who owns each part of the experience? │ │ • What signals will we read? (SMART goals for UX) │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ DO: Execute with standard + hospitality │ │ • Follow the 95% foundation rigorously │ │ • Apply the 5% improvisational hospitality │ │ • Every team member knows their "ownership zone" │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ CHECK: Feedback must flow — fast, honest, structured │ │ • Measure: task completion, user sentiment, delight │ │ • 48h rule: feedback within 48 hours or it's stale │ │ • Bilateral: team → user AND user → team │ │ • Quantify: not just "users liked it" but NPS, scores │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ ACT: Improve based on what you learned │ │ • Retrospective: what worked, what didn't, what's next │ │ • Knowledge capture: write it down or it never happened│ │ • Process refinement: simplify, don't accumulate │ │ • Promote insights to the Plan phase → loop restarts │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` **5 Metrics That Matter:** 1. **Task Completion Rate** — Does the core function work? (Service baseline) 2. **Feedback Timeliness** — How fast do we learn from users? (<48h = healthy) 3. **Issue Resolution Rate** — Problems found → fixed → verified closed 4. **Response Time** — How fast does the team/product react to signals? 5. **Rework Rate** — How often do we redo things? (Lower = better system) **Closed-Loop Anti-Patterns:** | Anti-Pattern | Symptom | Fix | |-------------|---------|-----| | Pseudo-loop | Feedback collected but never acted on | Assign owner + deadline to every insight | | Filtered feedback | Only good news reaches decision-makers | Create safe channels for honest feedback | | Fragmented flow | Info scattered across tools/people | Single source of truth (one board/doc) | | All process, no soul | Perfect PDCA but zero emotional impact | PDCA is the skeleton; hospitality is the heart | **The key insight:** PDCA keeps the machine running. Hospitality gives the machine a soul. You need both. ## Anti-Patterns (What NOT to Do) | Anti-Pattern | Why It Fails | Fix | |-------------|-------------|-----| | Fake personalization | "Hi {firstName}!" feels robotic | Use real context, not mail-merge | | Over-helping | Constant popups/tooltips = annoying | Help when needed, disappear when not | | Forced delight | Confetti on a 500 error? No. | Match tone to emotional context | | Sycophantic praise | "Great question!" on every input | Be genuine or be quiet | | Feature over feeling | "We added 47 features!" | "Here's one thing that'll change your day" | | Ignoring the basics | Fun animations but slow loading | 95% must be solid before the 5% | | One-size-fits-all | Same onboarding for everyone | Adapt to context, skill level, goals | ## Quick Reference For the full 12 principles with examples → `references/principles.md` For the design & development checklist → `references/checklist.md` ## The Bottom Line > "It was our pursuit of excellence that brought us to the table, > but it was our pursuit of Unreasonable Hospitality that took us to the top." Build things that work perfectly. Then make them feel like magic.


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