tomevault-io UI/UX Design Principles
Create intuitive, visually appealing interfaces based on proven design principles.
Instructions
- Establish visual hierarchy - Guide users to important content first
- Maintain consistency - Reuse patterns, colors, and interactions
- Provide clear feedback - Every action should have a visible response
- Reduce cognitive load - Simplify choices and minimize complexity
- Design for errors - Prevent, detect, and help users recover from mistakes
Visual Hierarchy
Size & Weight
PRIMARY ACTION -> Largest, boldest, most prominent
Secondary Action -> Medium size, less visual weight
tertiary action -> Smallest, subtle styling
// Clear hierarchy example
<div className="space-y-4">
<h1 className="text-4xl font-bold text-gray-900">
Main Headline
</h1>
<p className="text-xl text-gray-600">
Supporting description that explains the headline
</p>
<div className="flex gap-4">
<button className="px-6 py-3 bg-blue-600 text-white font-medium rounded-lg">
Primary Action
</button>
<button className="px-6 py-3 border border-gray-300 text-gray-700 rounded-lg">
Secondary
</button>
</div>
</div>
Spacing Scale
/* Consistent spacing system (4px base) */
--space-1: 0.25rem; /* 4px - tight spacing */
--space-2: 0.5rem; /* 8px - related items */
--space-3: 0.75rem; /* 12px */
--space-4: 1rem; /* 16px - standard gap */
--space-6: 1.5rem; /* 24px - section spacing */
--space-8: 2rem; /* 32px - major sections */
--space-12: 3rem; /* 48px - page sections */
--space-16: 4rem; /* 64px - large gaps */
Color Theory
Color System
// Semantic color usage
const colors = {
// Primary - brand identity, main CTAs
primary: {
base: '#2563eb', // Blue-600
hover: '#1d4ed8', // Blue-700
light: '#dbeafe', // Blue-100
},
// Success - confirmations, positive actions
success: {
base: '#16a34a', // Green-600
light: '#dcfce7', // Green-100
},
// Warning - caution, non-critical issues
warning: {
base: '#d97706', // Amber-600
light: '#fef3c7', // Amber-100
},
// Error - errors, destructive actions
error: {
base: '#dc2626', // Red-600
light: '#fee2e2', // Red-100
},
// Neutral - text, backgrounds, borders
neutral: {
900: '#111827', // Primary text
700: '#374151', // Secondary text
500: '#6b7280', // Placeholder, disabled
300: '#d1d5db', // Borders
100: '#f3f4f6', // Backgrounds
},
};
Color Accessibility
Text on white background:
- Gray-900 (#111827) -> Contrast 16:1 (excellent)
- Gray-700 (#374151) -> Contrast 10:1 (excellent)
- Gray-500 (#6b7280) -> Contrast 5.2:1 (minimum for text)
- Gray-400 (#9ca3af) -> Contrast 3.5:1 (fails for body text)
Large text (18pt+) can use 3:1 minimum contrast
Typography
Type Scale
/* Modular scale (1.25 ratio) */
--text-xs: 0.75rem; /* 12px */
--text-sm: 0.875rem; /* 14px */
--text-base: 1rem; /* 16px - body */
--text-lg: 1.125rem; /* 18px */
--text-xl: 1.25rem; /* 20px */
--text-2xl: 1.5rem; /* 24px */
--text-3xl: 1.875rem; /* 30px */
--text-4xl: 2.25rem; /* 36px */
--text-5xl: 3rem; /* 48px */
Typography Best Practices
// Readable line length (45-75 characters)
<article className="max-w-prose mx-auto">
<h1 className="text-4xl font-bold tracking-tight">
Headline with Tighter Tracking
</h1>
<p className="text-lg leading-relaxed text-gray-600">
Body text with comfortable line height (1.625-1.75)
for better readability. Keep paragraphs short.
</p>
</article>
// Line heights
// Headings: 1.1-1.3 (tight)
// Body: 1.5-1.75 (relaxed)
// Small text: 1.4-1.5
Gestalt Principles
Proximity
// Related items are grouped
<div className="space-y-8">
{/* Group 1 - User Info */}
<div className="space-y-2">
<Input label="First Name" />
<Input label="Last Name" />
<Input label="Email" />
</div>
{/* Group 2 - Address (clearly separate) */}
<div className="space-y-2">
<Input label="Street" />
<Input label="City" />
<Input label="ZIP" />
</div>
</div>
Similarity
// Similar items look alike
<div className="flex gap-4">
{/* All primary actions look the same */}
<button className="btn-primary">Save</button>
<button className="btn-primary">Submit</button>
{/* All secondary actions look the same */}
<button className="btn-secondary">Cancel</button>
<button className="btn-secondary">Skip</button>
</div>
Continuity
// Elements aligned create visual flow
<nav className="flex items-center space-x-6">
<Logo />
<NavLink>Home</NavLink>
<NavLink>Products</NavLink>
<NavLink>About</NavLink>
<NavLink>Contact</NavLink>
</nav>
Usability Heuristics
1. Visibility of System Status
// Always show what's happening
<button disabled={isLoading}>
{isLoading ? (
<>
<Spinner className="mr-2" />
Saving...
</>
) : (
'Save Changes'
)}
</button>
// Progress indicators
<div className="space-y-2">
<div className="flex justify-between text-sm">
<span>Uploading...</span>
<span>{progress}%</span>
</div>
<div className="h-2 bg-gray-200 rounded-full">
<div
className="h-2 bg-blue-600 rounded-full transition-all"
style={{ width: `${progress}%` }}
/>
</div>
</div>
2. Match Real World
// Use familiar icons and language
<button>
<TrashIcon /> Delete {/* Not "Remove instance" */}
</button>
<button>
<SaveIcon /> Save {/* Not "Persist changes" */}
</button>
3. Error Prevention
// Confirm destructive actions
<AlertDialog>
<AlertDialogTrigger asChild>
<button className="text-red-600">Delete Account</button>
</AlertDialogTrigger>
<AlertDialogContent>
<AlertDialogHeader>
<AlertDialogTitle>Are you sure?</AlertDialogTitle>
<AlertDialogDescription>
This will permanently delete your account and all data.
This action cannot be undone.
</AlertDialogDescription>
</AlertDialogHeader>
<AlertDialogFooter>
<AlertDialogCancel>Cancel</AlertDialogCancel>
<AlertDialogAction className="bg-red-600">
Yes, delete my account
</AlertDialogAction>
</AlertDialogFooter>
</AlertDialogContent>
</AlertDialog>
4. Recognition Over Recall
// Show options, don't make users remember
<Select>
<SelectTrigger>
<SelectValue placeholder="Select a category" />
</SelectTrigger>
<SelectContent>
<SelectItem value="electronics">Electronics</SelectItem>
<SelectItem value="clothing">Clothing</SelectItem>
<SelectItem value="books">Books</SelectItem>
</SelectContent>
</Select>
// Show recent/suggested items
<Combobox>
<ComboboxInput placeholder="Search..." />
<ComboboxOptions>
<div className="text-xs text-gray-500 px-3 py-1">Recent</div>
{recentItems.map(item => (
<ComboboxOption key={item.id} value={item} />
))}
</ComboboxOptions>
</Combobox>
Layout Principles
The Rule of Thirds
+---+---+---+
| | X | | Place key elements at intersections
+---+---+---+
| | | X |
+---+---+---+
| | | |
+---+---+---+
F-Pattern for Content
// Users scan in F pattern - put important content top-left
<div className="grid grid-cols-12 gap-6">
<header className="col-span-12">
{/* First scan: full-width header */}
</header>
<main className="col-span-8">
{/* Second scan: main content left */}
</main>
<aside className="col-span-4">
{/* Less important: sidebar right */}
</aside>
</div>
Z-Pattern for Marketing
// Landing pages follow Z pattern
<div>
<header className="flex justify-between">
<Logo /> {/* Top left - brand */}
<nav>...</nav> {/* Top right - navigation */}
</header>
<main className="text-center">
<h1>Main Message</h1> {/* Diagonal - key content */}
<p>Supporting content</p>
</main>
<footer className="flex justify-between">
<p>More info</p> {/* Bottom left */}
<button>Call to Action</button> {/* Bottom right - CTA */}
</footer>
</div>
Feedback Patterns
States and Transitions
// Interactive element states
<button className="
/* Default */
bg-blue-600 text-white
/* Hover - lighter */
hover:bg-blue-500
/* Active/Pressed - darker */
active:bg-blue-700
/* Focus - visible ring */
focus:ring-2 focus:ring-blue-500 focus:ring-offset-2
/* Disabled - muted */
disabled:bg-gray-300 disabled:cursor-not-allowed
/* Transition */
transition-colors duration-150
">
Click Me
</button>
When to Use
- Planning UI layouts and component design
- Making design decisions without a designer
- Reviewing and improving existing interfaces
- Creating style guides and design systems
- Onboarding new team members to design principles
Notes
- These principles apply across all platforms (web, mobile, desktop)
- User testing validates assumptions - principles are guidelines, not rules
- Accessibility is a core principle, not an afterthought
- Performance affects perceived usability
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