Introduction
Welcome to the foundational section of our technical documentation, where we introduce the user interface (UI) design system of Netherlands3D. This documentation is crafted to guide developers, designers, and contributors through the design architecture that shapes the user experience within our digital twin environment.
Purpose of the Design System
The design system serves as a comprehensive framework that harmonizes UI design and development, ensuring consistency, scalability, and efficiency across the application. It is the blueprint that orchestrates the visual and interactive elements, making the digital twin not only a technological marvel but also an intuitive and engaging experience for users.
Overview of the UI Design System
At the heart of our UI design system are two fundamental concepts: Blocks and Components. These elements are the building blocks of our application's interface, structured to offer clarity and flexibility in design and implementation. Inspired by the BEM (Block, Element, Modifier) methodology, our system disambiguates between blocks and components to streamline the development process and enhance the UI's modularity and reusability.
Blocks
Blocks are the larger, more general sections of the UI that function as the containers for components. They define the structural layout and set the stage for the detailed elements within. Blocks can be as broad as the entire application window or as specific as a user interaction panel.
Components
Components, on the other hand, are the more granular, reusable elements that reside within blocks. They are the nuts and bolts of the UI, encompassing buttons, sliders, text fields, and other interactive elements. Components are designed with flexibility in mind, allowing them to be adapted and reused across different blocks.
Objectives of This Documentation
The subsequent chapters of this documentation are dedicated to diving deeper into the specifics of blocks and components, outlining their characteristics, how they are designed, and how they interact within the UI framework of our digital twin platform. Our goals are to:
- Clarify the distinction between blocks and components, providing a clear understanding of their roles within the UI design system.
- Guide the design and development process, offering insights into best practices for creating and integrating blocks and components.
- Facilitate scalability and customization, enabling developers and designers to extend the UI efficiently and creatively.
As we proceed, this documentation will serve as a reference for enhancing and expanding the user interface of Netherlands3D, ensuring that the developers and designers within the ecosystem are aligned.
In the next chapter, we will explore the concept of blocks in detail, examining their structure, functionality, and how they contribute to the overall user experience of the application.