# Design Guidelines This document outlines the design guidelines for the Digital Freezone Customer Portal, covering visual design, interaction patterns, and user experience principles. > AI MADE THIS NOT SURE HOW GOOD THIS IS??? ## Design Principles ### 1. Core Principles #### 1.1. User-Centered - **Focus on User Needs**: Design decisions should be driven by user needs and goals. - **Reduce Cognitive Load**: Minimize the mental effort required to use the platform. - **Progressive Disclosure**: Present information and options gradually, as needed. - **Contextual Relevance**: Show information and actions relevant to the user's current context. #### 1.2. Clarity - **Clear Communication**: Use clear, concise language throughout the interface. - **Visual Hierarchy**: Establish a clear visual hierarchy to guide attention. - **Purposeful Design**: Every element should serve a clear purpose. - **Reduce Ambiguity**: Prevent confusion through clear labeling and feedback. #### 1.3. Consistency - **Visual Consistency**: Maintain consistent visual elements across the platform. - **Behavioral Consistency**: Interactions should work consistently throughout. - **Pattern Recognition**: Leverage familiar patterns to reduce learning curve. - **Platform Conventions**: Follow established conventions for the web platform. #### 1.4. Efficiency - **Streamlined Workflows**: Optimize common tasks for efficiency. - **Reduce Steps**: Minimize the number of steps to complete tasks. - **Smart Defaults**: Provide sensible defaults to reduce user effort. - **Keyboard Accessibility**: Support efficient keyboard navigation. #### 1.5. Trust and Security - **Transparent Operations**: Make system operations visible and understandable. - **Security Visibility**: Make security features visible to build trust. - **Error Prevention**: Design to prevent errors before they occur. - **Data Protection**: Visibly demonstrate respect for user data. ## Visual Design ### 1. Color System #### 1.1. Primary Color Palette - **Primary Blue**: #3A86FF - Used for primary actions, key navigation, and brand elements - Variations: Light #7AADFF, Dark #0D47A1 - **Secondary Purple**: #8338EC - Used for secondary actions and highlights - Variations: Light #B78AFF, Dark #5E35B1 - **Accent Pink**: #FF006E - Used sparingly for emphasis and calls to action - Variations: Light #FF5E9F, Dark #C2185B #### 1.2. Functional Color Palette - **Success Green**: #06D6A0 - Used for success states, confirmations, and positive trends - Variations: Light #67E8C2, Dark #00A878 - **Warning Yellow**: #FFD166 - Used for warnings, pending states, and caution indicators - Variations: Light #FFE4A3, Dark #FFC233 - **Error Red**: #EF476F - Used for errors, alerts, and negative trends - Variations: Light #F47A98, Dark #D81B60 #### 1.3. Neutral Color Palette - **Background White**: #FFFFFF - Primary background color - **Light Gray**: #F5F7FA - Secondary background, cards, containers - **Medium Gray**: #E1E5EB - Borders, dividers, disabled states - **Dark Gray**: #6B7280 - Secondary text, icons, less important elements - **Text Black**: #1F2937 - Primary text color #### 1.4. Color Usage Guidelines - **Accessibility**: All color combinations must meet WCAG 2.1 AA contrast requirements. - **Meaning**: Don't rely solely on color to convey meaning. - **Consistency**: Use colors consistently for the same purpose across the platform. - **Hierarchy**: Use color to reinforce visual hierarchy. - **Cultural Considerations**: Consider cultural implications of colors for international users. ### 2. Typography #### 2.1. Font Families - **Headings**: Montserrat, sans-serif - Clean, modern sans-serif for all headings - Weights: Regular (400), Medium (500), Semi-Bold (600), Bold (700) - **Body**: Open Sans, sans-serif - Highly readable sans-serif for all body text - Weights: Regular (400), Semi-Bold (600) - **Monospace**: Roboto Mono, monospace - For code, technical information, and tabular data - Weights: Regular (400) #### 2.2. Type Scale - **Display**: 40px/48px, Montserrat Bold - For major page headers and hero sections - **H1**: 32px/40px, Montserrat Bold - For page titles - **H2**: 24px/32px, Montserrat Semi-Bold - For section headings - **H3**: 20px/28px, Montserrat Medium - For subsection headings - **H4**: 18px/24px, Montserrat Medium - For card headings and minor sections - **Body Large**: 16px/24px, Open Sans Regular - For primary content - **Body**: 14px/20px, Open Sans Regular - For secondary content and general text - **Caption**: 12px/16px, Open Sans Regular - For labels, captions, and helper text - **Button**: 14px/20px, Open Sans Semi-Bold - For buttons and interactive elements #### 2.3. Typography Guidelines - **Line Length**: Aim for 50-75 characters per line for optimal readability. - **Alignment**: Use left alignment for most text (RTL languages will use right alignment). - **Hierarchy**: Establish clear typographic hierarchy through size, weight, and spacing. - **Responsive Adjustments**: Scale typography appropriately for different screen sizes. - **Accessibility**: Ensure text can be resized up to 200% without loss of content or functionality. ### 3. Iconography #### 3.1. Icon Style - **Style**: Line icons with consistent 2px stroke weight - **Corner Radius**: 2px rounded corners where applicable - **Size**: Base size of 24x24px with clear 1px padding - **Consistency**: Visually consistent across the icon set - **Simplicity**: Simple, recognizable shapes without unnecessary detail #### 3.2. Icon Usage - **Functional Icons**: Used for actions and navigation - **Categorical Icons**: Used to represent categories or types - **Status Icons**: Used to indicate status or state - **Illustrative Icons**: Used to visually represent concepts - **Always pair icons with text** except for universally recognized icons #### 3.3. Icon Guidelines - **Accessibility**: Icons should not be the only means of conveying information. - **Consistency**: Use the same icon for the same action throughout the platform. - **Recognition**: Choose icons that clearly represent their purpose. - **Sizing**: Scale appropriately for different contexts (navigation, buttons, etc.). - **Color**: Follow color system guidelines for icon coloring. ### 4. Layout and Spacing #### 4.1. Grid System - **Base Grid**: 8px grid for all measurements and spacing - **Column Grid**: 12-column responsive grid system - **Margins**: Consistent outer margins based on screen size - Desktop: 64px - Tablet: 32px - Mobile: 16px - **Gutters**: Consistent spacing between columns - Desktop: 24px - Tablet: 16px - Mobile: 8px #### 4.2. Spacing Scale - **4px**: Micro spacing (within components) - **8px**: Extra small spacing (between related elements) - **16px**: Small spacing (between component elements) - **24px**: Medium spacing (between components) - **32px**: Large spacing (between groups of components) - **48px**: Extra large spacing (between major sections) - **64px**: 2x large spacing (major page divisions) #### 4.3. Layout Guidelines - **Consistency**: Use consistent spacing throughout the interface. - **Proximity**: Group related elements together. - **Alignment**: Maintain strong alignment of elements. - **White Space**: Use white space deliberately to improve readability and focus. - **Responsive Behavior**: Define how layouts adapt to different screen sizes. ### 5. Imagery and Graphics #### 5.1. Photography - **Style**: Clean, professional imagery with natural lighting - **Subject**: Diverse representation of users and contexts - **Purpose**: Support content rather than dominate - **Quality**: High-resolution, properly cropped and scaled - **Consistency**: Visual consistency across all photography #### 5.2. Illustrations - **Style**: Simple, geometric illustrations with consistent line weight - **Color**: Using the established color palette - **Purpose**: Explain concepts, add visual interest, guide users - **Consistency**: Consistent illustration style throughout - **Scalability**: Works at various sizes #### 5.3. Data Visualization - **Clarity**: Focus on clear communication of data - **Simplicity**: Avoid chart junk and unnecessary decoration - **Consistency**: Consistent styles across all visualizations - **Color**: Strategic use of color to highlight important data - **Accessibility**: Multiple ways to distinguish data (not just color) #### 5.4. Imagery Guidelines - **Relevance**: All imagery should be relevant to the content. - **Performance**: Optimize for fast loading without quality loss. - **Accessibility**: Provide alternative text for all meaningful images. - **Responsive Behavior**: Define how images scale and crop at different screen sizes. - **Cultural Sensitivity**: Ensure imagery is culturally appropriate for the audience. ## UI Components ### 1. Navigation Components #### 1.1. Main Navigation - **Desktop**: Sidebar navigation with expandable sections - Width: 240px (expanded), 64px (collapsed) - Clearly indicates current section - Supports up to 3 levels of hierarchy - **Tablet**: Collapsible sidebar, expanded on demand - **Mobile**: Bottom navigation for primary sections, hamburger menu for full navigation - **States**: Normal, Hover, Active, Focused #### 1.2. Secondary Navigation - **Tabs**: For switching between related views - Horizontal arrangement - Clear active state - Scrollable on smaller screens - **Breadcrumbs**: For hierarchical navigation and context - Shows path from home to current page - Truncates middle sections when space is limited - **States**: Normal, Hover, Active, Focused #### 1.3. Page Navigation - **Pagination**: For navigating through multi-page content - Shows current page and total pages - Provides previous/next and first/last options - **Infinite Scroll**: For content feeds and continuous data - Clear loading indicators - Maintains scroll position when navigating back - **States**: Normal, Hover, Active, Disabled, Loading ### 2. Input Components #### 2.1. Text Inputs - **Text Field**: For single-line text input - Clear labeling above field - Placeholder text for guidance - Validation states with helpful messages - **Text Area**: For multi-line text input - Resizable when appropriate - Character/word count when limits apply - **Search Field**: For search functionality - Search icon for recognition - Clear button when text is entered - Suggestions as user types - **States**: Normal, Focus, Filled, Error, Disabled #### 2.2. Selection Inputs - **Dropdown**: For selecting from a list of options - Clear labeling - Support for option groups - Search functionality for long lists - **Multi-select**: For selecting multiple options - Clear indication of selected items - Ability to remove selections individually - **Radio Buttons**: For mutually exclusive options - Vertical arrangement by default - Clear labeling for each option - **Checkboxes**: For multiple selections or toggles - Clear labeling for each option - Support for indeterminate state when appropriate - **States**: Normal, Hover, Selected, Focused, Disabled #### 2.3. Date and Time Inputs - **Date Picker**: For selecting dates - Calendar view with month/year navigation - Highlight relevant dates (today, selected) - Support for date ranges - **Time Picker**: For selecting times - 12/24 hour format based on locale - Minute increments appropriate to context - **Date-Time Picker**: For selecting both date and time - Combined interface or sequential selection - **States**: Normal, Hover, Selected, Focused, Disabled #### 2.4. File Inputs - **File Upload**: For uploading files - Drag-and-drop area - File browser button - Progress indication during upload - Preview for uploaded files - Support for multiple files when appropriate - **States**: Normal, Drag Over, Uploading, Success, Error ### 3. Action Components #### 3.1. Buttons - **Primary Button**: For main actions - Filled background (Primary Blue) - High visibility - Used sparingly (typically one per section) - **Secondary Button**: For alternative actions - Outlined style (border only) - Medium visibility - **Tertiary Button**: For less important actions - Text only, no background or border - Low visibility - **Icon Button**: For common actions with recognizable icons - Clear tooltip on hover - Consistent sizing - **States**: Normal, Hover, Active, Focused, Loading, Disabled #### 3.2. Links - **Text Links**: For navigation within or between pages - Underlined or distinctly colored - Clear hover state - **Action Links**: For triggering actions (similar to tertiary buttons) - No underline by default - Clear hover state - **External Links**: For navigation to external sites - Visual indicator for external destination - Consider opening in new tab - **States**: Normal, Hover, Visited, Focused #### 3.3. Action Menus - **Dropdown Menu**: For presenting multiple actions - Clear trigger element (often an icon) - Consistent positioning - Logical grouping of options - **Context Menu**: For context-specific actions - Triggered by right-click or long press - Positioned near the target element - **States**: Normal, Hover, Active, Focused, Disabled ### 4. Feedback Components #### 4.1. Notifications - **Toast**: For temporary notifications - Appears briefly and auto-dismisses - Non-blocking - Used for confirmations and non-critical information - **Alert**: For important information requiring attention - Persistent until dismissed - Different styles for different severity levels - May require action - **Banner**: For system-wide announcements - Appears at the top of the interface - Can be dismissible or persistent - **States**: Information, Success, Warning, Error #### 4.2. Progress Indicators - **Progress Bar**: For operations with known duration - Linear representation of progress - Percentage or step indication when appropriate - **Spinner**: For operations with unknown duration - Indicates activity without specific progress - Consistent animation - **Skeleton Screens**: For content loading - Approximates the layout of loading content - Reduces perceived loading time - **States**: Active, Paused, Completed, Error #### 4.3. Validation Feedback - **Inline Validation**: For immediate feedback during input - Appears near the relevant field - Clear error messages - Success confirmation when appropriate - **Form Validation**: For feedback upon form submission - Summary of errors at top of form - Individual field highlighting - Clear guidance for correction - **States**: Success, Warning, Error ### 5. Container Components #### 5.1. Cards - **Standard Card**: For containing related content - Consistent padding (16px) - Optional header and footer - Clear visual boundaries - **Action Card**: For selectable or interactive content - Clear hover and selected states - Optional action buttons - **Status Card**: For displaying status information - Visual indicators of status - Consistent status positioning - **States**: Normal, Hover, Selected, Focused, Disabled #### 5.2. Modals and Dialogs - **Modal Dialog**: For focused tasks requiring attention - Blocks interaction with the main interface - Clear purpose and actions - Dismissible via close button, ESC key, or clicking overlay - **Confirmation Dialog**: For confirming destructive or important actions - Clear question or statement - Explicit action buttons (avoid Yes/No in favor of specific actions) - **Side Panel**: For supplementary information or tasks - Slides in from edge of screen - Does not fully block the main interface - **States**: Opening, Open, Closing, Closed #### 5.3. Tables and Lists - **Data Table**: For structured data presentation - Consistent column alignment - Sortable columns when appropriate - Pagination or virtualization for large datasets - Row selection when actions apply to items - **List**: For sequential information - Consistent item structure - Clear item separation - Support for various content types within items - **Grid**: For visual collections - Consistent item sizing - Responsive behavior - Support for filtering and sorting - **States**: Normal, Hover, Selected, Focused, Loading, Empty ## Interaction Patterns ### 1. Navigation Patterns #### 1.1. Information Architecture - **Hierarchical Structure**: Clear parent-child relationships - **Flat Structure**: For peer-level content - **Hub and Spoke**: Central dashboard with specialized sections - **Search-Oriented**: For large content repositories - **Task-Oriented**: Organized around user tasks and workflows #### 1.2. Navigation Methods - **Direct Navigation**: Clear paths to specific destinations - **Exploratory Navigation**: Supporting discovery of content - **Contextual Navigation**: Related content suggestions - **Search**: For finding specific content quickly - **Filters**: For narrowing down large sets of content #### 1.3. Transitions - **Page Transitions**: Subtle animations between pages - **Content Transitions**: Smooth changes within a page - **State Transitions**: Clear feedback when state changes - **Loading Transitions**: Indicating content is loading - **Keep transitions under 300ms** for perceived immediacy ### 2. Input Patterns #### 2.1. Form Design - **Single-Column Layout**: For most forms - **Logical Grouping**: Related fields grouped together - **Progressive Disclosure**: Show fields as needed - **Inline Validation**: Immediate feedback on input - **Clear Submission**: Obvious submission button - **Autofocus**: First field focused automatically - **Tabbing Order**: Logical progression through form #### 2.2. Input Assistance - **Autocomplete**: Suggestions based on input - **Type-Ahead**: Predictions as user types - **Default Values**: Smart defaults when possible - **Formatting Assistance**: Automatic formatting of specialized inputs - **Contextual Help**: Guidance specific to the current field - **Error Prevention**: Constraints that prevent invalid input - **Error Correction**: Suggestions for fixing errors #### 2.3. Complex Inputs - **Multi-Step Forms**: Breaking complex forms into manageable steps - **Dependent Fields**: Fields that change based on other inputs - **Repeating Sections**: For variable numbers of similar inputs - **Drag and Drop**: For spatial arrangement or file uploads - **Rich Text Editing**: For formatted text input - **Specialized Inputs**: For specific data types (color, range, etc.) ### 3. Feedback Patterns #### 3.1. System Status - **Loading States**: Clear indication when system is working - **Success States**: Confirmation when actions complete successfully - **Error States**: Clear explanation when something goes wrong - **Empty States**: Helpful guidance when no content exists - **Partial States**: Indication when content is partially loaded #### 3.2. User Guidance - **Tooltips**: Brief explanations on hover - **Popovers**: More detailed contextual information - **Coachmarks**: Highlighting features for new users - **Walkthroughs**: Step-by-step guidance for complex tasks - **Contextual Help**: Assistance specific to current context - **Progressive Disclosure**: Revealing complexity as needed #### 3.3. Confirmation and Alerts - **Confirmation Before Action**: For destructive or significant actions - **Undo Capability**: Allow reversal of actions when possible - **Non-Modal Feedback**: Toast notifications for non-blocking information - **Modal Alerts**: For critical information requiring acknowledgment - **Persistent Notifications**: For ongoing conditions or system status ### 4. Data Visualization Patterns #### 4.1. Chart Types - **Line Charts**: For trends over time - **Bar Charts**: For comparing discrete categories - **Pie/Donut Charts**: For part-to-whole relationships (use sparingly) - **Scatter Plots**: For correlation between variables - **Heat Maps**: For showing intensity across two dimensions - **Tables**: For precise values and multiple metrics #### 4.2. Data Interaction - **Filtering**: Narrowing data based on criteria - **Sorting**: Reordering data for different perspectives - **Drilling Down**: Moving from summary to detail - **Highlighting**: Emphasizing specific data points - **Tooltips**: Revealing details on hover - **Selection**: Choosing specific data for further action - **Comparison**: Viewing multiple datasets side by side #### 4.3. Data Presentation - **Progressive Disclosure**: Starting with overview, details on demand - **Appropriate Scale**: Choosing scales that don't distort perception - **Consistent Baselines**: For accurate comparison - **Clear Labeling**: Explicit labels for all data elements - **Legends**: Clear explanation of visual encodings - **Annotations**: Highlighting important points or anomalies - **Responsive Adaptation**: Appropriate visualizations for different screen sizes ## Responsive Design ### 1. Breakpoints #### 1.1. Major Breakpoints - **Mobile**: 320px - 767px - **Tablet**: 768px - 1023px - **Desktop**: 1024px - 1439px - **Large Desktop**: 1440px and above #### 1.2. Component-Specific Breakpoints - Use additional breakpoints as needed for specific components - Focus on content needs rather than specific devices - Consider orientation changes (portrait/landscape) ### 2. Responsive Patterns #### 2.1. Layout Patterns - **Stacking**: Converting horizontal layouts to vertical - **Column Drop**: Reducing multi-column layouts - **Off-Canvas**: Moving navigation off-screen - **Reveal**: Showing/hiding content based on screen size - **Reflow**: Reorganizing content for different screen sizes #### 2.2. Navigation Patterns - **Desktop**: Sidebar or horizontal navigation - **Tablet**: Collapsible navigation or tabs - **Mobile**: Bottom navigation, hamburger menu, or priority navigation #### 2.3. Content Patterns - **Progressive Disclosure**: Showing less content initially on smaller screens - **Prioritization**: Emphasizing most important content on smaller screens - **Simplification**: Reducing complexity on smaller screens - **Optimization**: Different content formats for different screen sizes ### 3. Touch Considerations #### 3.1. Touch Targets - **Minimum Size**: 44x44px for all interactive elements - **Spacing**: Adequate spacing between touch targets (minimum 8px) - **Positioning**: Placing important actions within easy reach - **Feedback**: Clear visual feedback for touch interactions #### 3.2. Touch Gestures - **Tap**: Primary interaction for buttons and links - **Swipe**: For scrolling, navigation, or dismissal - **Pinch/Spread**: For zooming when appropriate - **Long Press**: For contextual actions - **Provide visible alternatives** for all gesture-based interactions ## Accessibility Guidelines ### 1. Visual Accessibility #### 1.1. Color and Contrast - **Contrast Ratio**: Minimum 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text - **Color Independence**: Don't rely solely on color to convey information - **Text Over Images**: Ensure sufficient contrast with backgrounds - **Focus Indicators**: High-contrast focus states for keyboard navigation - **Dark Mode**: Support for system dark mode preference #### 1.2. Typography and Readability - **Text Sizing**: Support for browser text resizing up to 200% - **Line Height**: Minimum 1.5 times the font size - **Letter Spacing**: Adequate spacing for readability - **Font Weight**: Sufficient contrast between weights - **Text Alignment**: Left-aligned text for LTR languages (right for RTL) - **Line Length**: Maximum 80 characters per line #### 1.3. Visual Information - **Text Alternatives**: For all non-text content - **Captions**: For video content - **Transcripts**: For audio content - **Visual Hierarchy**: Clear without relying on color - **Iconography**: Paired with text for clarity ### 2. Interaction Accessibility #### 2.1. Keyboard Navigation - **Focus Order**: Logical tab order following visual layout - **Focus Visibility**: Clear visual indication of keyboard focus - **Keyboard Shortcuts**: For common actions - **Skip Links**: For bypassing repetitive navigation - **No Keyboard Traps**: Ensure users can navigate away from all elements #### 2.2. Input Methods - **Device Independence**: Support for various input methods - **Touch Targets**: Adequately sized for all users - **Error Prevention**: Confirmation for consequential actions - **Error Correction**: Clear guidance for fixing input errors - **Labels**: Explicit labels for all form controls #### 2.3. Time-Based Interactions - **Timeout Warnings**: Advance notice of session timeouts - **Extend Time**: Option to extend time limits - **No Time Limits**: For essential functions when possible - **Pause/Stop/Hide**: Controls for moving content - **Reduced Motion**: Support for reduced motion preference ### 3. Cognitive Accessibility #### 3.1. Content Clarity - **Plain Language**: Clear, simple writing - **Consistent Navigation**: Predictable placement of navigation elements - **Consistent Functionality**: Similar elements function similarly - **Meaningful Sequence**: Content presented in a logical order - **Section Headings**: Clear organization of content #### 3.2. User Assistance - **Clear Instructions**: Explicit guidance for complex tasks - **Error Messages**: Specific, constructive error messages - **Contextual Help**: Assistance available when needed - **Predictable Interactions**: Consistent behavior across the platform - **Forgiving Interfaces**: Allow for user errors and provide recovery paths ## Design System Implementation ### 1. Component Library #### 1.1. Component Structure - **Atomic Design Methodology**: Atoms, molecules, organisms, templates, pages - **Component Hierarchy**: Clear parent-child relationships - **Composition Over Inheritance**: Favoring component composition - **Stateful Components**: Clear definition of component states - **Responsive Variants**: Adaptations for different screen sizes #### 1.2. Component Documentation - **Usage Guidelines**: When and how to use each component - **Properties/Props**: All configurable options - **Accessibility Considerations**: Specific accessibility requirements - **Code Examples**: Implementation examples - **Visual Examples**: All states and variations - **Do's and Don'ts**: Best practices and anti-patterns ### 2. Design Tokens #### 2.1. Token Categories - **Colors**: All color values - **Typography**: Font families, sizes, weights, line heights - **Spacing**: Margin and padding values - **Sizing**: Component and element dimensions - **Borders**: Width, style, radius - **Shadows**: Box and text shadows - **Z-index**: Layering values - **Animation**: Timing, easing functions #### 2.2. Token Implementation - **Platform-Agnostic Format**: For cross-platform consistency - **Naming Convention**: Clear, consistent naming - **Semantic Tokens**: Named by purpose, not value - **Token Hierarchy**: Base tokens and derived tokens - **Documentation**: Clear explanation of token usage ### 3. Design-to-Development Workflow #### 3.1. Design Handoff - **Design Specs**: Detailed specifications for implementation - **Asset Delivery**: Optimized assets in appropriate formats - **Interaction Specifications**: Clear definition of interactive behaviors - **Accessibility Requirements**: Specific accessibility considerations - **Edge Cases**: Handling of extreme content or conditions #### 3.2. Collaboration Process - **Shared Language**: Common terminology between design and development - **Regular Reviews**: Ongoing review of implementation - **Feedback Channels**: Clear process for providing feedback - **Version Control**: Tracking changes to design specifications - **Design QA**: Process for verifying implementation matches design intent