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Guide
Oct 14, 2026
4 min read
Design research without copying
How to use a screen library to benchmark a flow, and then close it.
A reference library is useful when you use it to ask a question, and harmful when you use it to find an answer to copy.
Start with the question
Write down the step you are designing, for example a checkout or a first-run screen, and what a good result looks like. Then open the library.
Look at five, not fifty
Collect a handful of examples of the same step from different products. Note what they have in common and where they differ. The common parts are probably conventions you should keep.
Close it and design
Once you know the conventions, close the tab and design for your own users. Your constraints are different, so your screen should be too.
Check it with real people
No library can tell you whether your version works. Put it in front of a few people before you ship.
Mobbin is a good fit for the first step. It is a research tool, and the work that follows is yours.
Tools in this guide
The tools mentioned.
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