UI Creation Playbook

My UI Design
Playbook

A personal arsenal of battle-tested UI design strategies. This playbook gathers the tools and methods I use to turn complex problems into simple, impactful solutions.

Foundations

Design Principles

These principles guide the design of user interfaces, ensuring they are intuitive, accessible, and consistent.

Clarity

The interface should be clear and easy to understand. Users should be able to predict the outcome of their actions.

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Consistency

Consistent interfaces allow users to develop usage patterns. They feel more predictable and are easier to learn.

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Efficiency

Interfaces should be efficient to use. Optimize for the most common tasks and reduce friction.

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Aesthetics

Aesthetic design is perceived as easier to use. Good visual design builds trust and makes the product feel professional.

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Visuals

Color System

A consistent color palette is essential for brand recognition and visual harmony. It guides users' attention and indicates interactivity.

Primary Palette

The core brand colors used for primary actions, active states, and key visual elements to ensure brand recognition.

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Neutrals

A range of grays, whites, and blacks used for text, backgrounds, and structural elements to maintain content hierarchy.

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Semantic Colors

Functional colors that communicate status and feedback, such as success, warning, error, and information.

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Dark Mode

A dark theme alternative that reduces eye strain in low-light environments and saves battery life on OLED screens.

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Foundations

Typography

Typography establishes hierarchy and ensures content is readable. It sets the tone of the interface.

Typeface

Ag Ag

Select a distinct typeface for headings to establish personality, and a clean sans-serif for body text to ensure readability.

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Type Scale

Heading
Subheading
Body text

A predefined set of font sizes ensures consistency and clear hierarchy across the application.

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Readability

Optimized line heights and line lengths prevent eye strain and make long-form content easier to digest.

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Font Weights

Aa Aa

Stick to a limited set of weights, typically Regular (400) for body text and Bold (700) for headings, to maintain clear hierarchy.

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Structure

Layout & Grid

A consistent layout and grid system is the foundation of a well-designed UI. It provides structure, rhythm, and a guide for placing elements on the screen.

Spacing

A consistent spacing scale creates visual rhythm. Using a base unit (like 4px or 8px) makes the UI easier to scan and build.

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Grid Systems

A defined grid system helps create consistent and responsive layouts across all devices and screen sizes.

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Responsive Breakpoints

Define a set of responsive breakpoints to ensure designs adapt gracefully to different screen sizes.

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Containers

Use centered containers with max-widths to keep content readable and focused on ultra-wide screens.

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Building Blocks

Components

Components are the reusable building blocks of our design system. They ensure consistency and help us build faster.

Buttons

Buttons are used to trigger actions. They should clearly communicate what will happen when the user clicks them.

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Forms

Forms are used to collect information from users. They should be easy to understand and use.

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Navigation

Navigation components help users find their way around the product.

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Cards

Cards are used to group related information and actions.

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Visuals

Iconography

Icons are a powerful way to communicate meaning and save space. They should be used consistently and thoughtfully.

Icon Library

A curated library of icons to be used throughout the product. This ensures consistency and a shared visual language.

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Usage Guidelines

Clear guidelines on when and how to use icons, including size, color, and placement.

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Creating Icons

A guide to creating new icons that are consistent with our visual style.

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Stroke Style

Ensure icon stroke widths and styles (like rounded caps) match the geometry and weight of your chosen typeface.

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Behavior

Interaction Design

Interaction design is about creating a conversation between the user and the product. It's about how things move, feel, and respond to user input.

Micro-interactions

Small, delightful animations that provide feedback and make the UI feel alive.

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Animation

Guidelines for creating smooth, purposeful animations that enhance the user experience.

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Feedback

Saved

Providing clear and timely feedback to users is crucial for a good user experience.

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States

Define clear visual states for interactive elements (hover, active, disabled, focused) to communicate usability.

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Inclusion

Accessibility

Designing for accessibility means designing for everyone. It's about creating interfaces that can be used by people with a wide range of abilities.

WCAG Guidelines

AAA

Following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure our products are accessible to all.

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Semantic HTML

<nav>
<main>
<footer>

Using HTML elements for their intended purpose to improve accessibility and SEO.

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Contrast Ratios

Aa
Aa

Ensure sufficient color contrast between text and backgrounds to guarantee readability for users with visual impairments.

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Keyboard Navigation

Ensure all interactive elements are reachable and operable using a keyboard, including visible focus indicators.

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Process

Design Handoff

A smooth handoff process is crucial for ensuring that the final product matches the design vision. It's about clear communication and providing developers with everything they need.

Handoff Checklist

A checklist of everything that needs to be prepared and delivered to developers before implementation begins.

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Redlines & Specs

60px
40px

Providing detailed specifications for spacing, colors, typography, and other design details.

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Version Control

Maintain clear versioning of design files to ensure developers are always working from the latest source of truth.

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Asset Export

SVG

Prepare and export all necessary graphical assets in the required formats (SVG, PNG, WebP) and resolutions.

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Knowledge

Tools & Resources

A curated list of tools, plugins, and articles to help you work smarter, not harder.

Figma Plugins

A list of recommended Figma plugins for improving workflow and automating tedious tasks.

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Further Reading

A collection of articles and books on UI design, design systems, and accessibility.

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Design Tokens

$primary-blue

Methodology for storing design decisions as platform-agnostic data variables.

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Inspiration

Curated sources for UI patterns and visual inspiration to jumpstart the creative process.

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