hostbasket/specs/design

Design Guidelines

This document outlines the design guidelines for the Digital Freezone Customer Portal, covering visual design, interaction patterns, and user experience principles.

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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