The Next Step After Creating Components

A given action might take different paths and shapes within the same product. For example, I click the "+" button to add something. On another page, it says, "Add X." Sometimes, a modal appears. On some occasions, I'm taken to a new page.

There's probably a logic behind how each action presents itself, but how does one decide which path to take? Or the shapes a given control might take?

Context-informed consistency

Once I started paying attention to how I designed everyday actions like add, delete, and search, I spotted inconsistencies like the ones I mentioned above. I needed a way of setting standards to make conscious decisions when designing flows related to these actions.

At first, I tried to set standards. However, that didn't work.

What if the user needs to add a row to a table? What about a new user? And what happens if the user wants to upload a file? Is that still considered adding something?

Mapping the context

I was up to something here. Questions like the above help identify the context in which a given action happens. So, I decided to map those.

That provided a clear overview of the context and allowed me to decide how that flow should manifest for improved user performance. Once I mapped the flows and shapes that an action might take, it became easier to set standards, now based on context.

Why is it more scalable?

Components don't exist in a vacuum. Their purpose is to facilitate human behavior and empower users. By enabling context-informed decisions, UX Patterns help Product teams stay aligned, ship features faster, and innovate more safely.?