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UX Principles

Core UX design principles and guidelines to ensure corporate standards, ecosystem coherence, and minimal interaction cost across TRATON applications.

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These guidelines are established to maintain visual and functional consistency across the TRATON R&D ecosystem, reduce user friction, and respect the valuable time of our system users.

Adherence to Corporate Standards

Follow the standard. Help develop the standards.

Guideline: If a design standard or component exists within the Brand or Design System, it must be used.
  • Governance: We do not deviate from standards based on personal preference.
  • Process: If a standard is lacking or needs improvement, feedback must be sent to the Brand Manager or Design Department. They are responsible for evolving the system. This ensures we don’t end up with fragmented solutions for the same problem across different applications.

Ecosystem Coherence & Consistency

Avoid “Silo Development.” Users often traverse multiple internal applications in a single day.

Guideline: Maintain strict consistency in UI patterns and interaction models across the entire ecosystem.
  • Value: Even if a specific pattern isn’t the absolute theoretical “best” for a single isolated feature, using the familiar pattern is superior because it reduces the learning curve (Consistency > Novelty). Users should not have to re-learn how to interact with the software when moving between modules.

Universal Navigation Structure

Users should never feel “trapped” in a silo.

Guideline: The main navigation must be robust and accessible from any point in the application.
  • Implementation: Ensure users can access the broader structure of the platform without excessive backtracking. A flat, accessible hierarchy allows for smoother transitioning between different functional areas.

Minimizing Interaction Cost

Our users should spend time developing our products, not in administrative systems.

Guideline: Practically reduce the number of clicks required to achieve a goal (“Excessive Click Avoidance”).
  • State Management: The UI state should reflect the user’s permissions automatically. If a user has edit permissions (e.g., an Editor role), they should not have to click an extra “Edit” button. The interface should default to an editable state to reduce friction.
  • Goal: Avoid long click chains. Every click should add value.

Proximity of Feedback (Modals vs. Popovers)

Information and feedback should appear where the user’s attention is focused.

Guideline: While modals have their place, do not overuse them for simple feedback.
  • Implementation: If a user interacts with a specific field, feedback (validation errors, hints, success messages) should be displayed via a popover or inline text immediately adjacent to that field.
  • Rationale: This keeps the context intact and prevents the user’s eye from having to jump around the screen to find relevant information.

Typography & Legibility

Use uppercase (All-Caps) text sparingly and strategically.

Guideline: General body text or long labels should never be written in uppercase.
  • Acceptable Usage: Small badges, compact table headers, or specific UI elements where controlling the vertical height (line-height) is crucial (avoiding ascenders and descenders).
  • Accessibility: All-caps text is difficult to scan and significantly harder for users with dyslexia to read. It acts as a visual distraction in standard prose.

The “Golden Path” & Call to Action (CTA) Hierarchy

The user interface should guide the user along a clear, logical path (a “snitslad bana”) towards a specific goal.

Guideline: Avoid cluttering the interface with competing Calls to Action (CTAs). Having 3-4 primary buttons on a single screen creates cognitive load and confusion.
  • Implementation: Design for an end-to-end flow where the user is naturally led to complete a task. Prioritize one primary action per view to ensure the user can finish what they started without distraction.