Design Principles

This page outlines the foundational design principles behind the portfolio site, covering structure, interaction, accessibility, and responsiveness with high attention to user experience and clarity.

Clarity and Focus

Every page aims to communicate its purpose clearly and immediately. Page titles, layout spacing, and sectioning all reinforce content hierarchy.

  • Content-first strategy with minimal distractions
  • Semantic HTML structures for clarity and accessibility
  • Readable line lengths and adequate spacing

Systematic Layout

Layouts follow a strict grid structure using Tailwind’s utility classes. These layouts ensure consistency across breakpoints and simplify responsiveness.


<main class="grid grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-[250px_1fr]">
  <aside>Sidebar</aside>
  <article>Main Content</article>
</main>

Grid layouts also simplify mobile-to-desktop transitions by collapsing sidebar navigation elegantly under smaller viewports.

Responsiveness

Tailwind's breakpoint utilities ensure visual integrity across all device sizes. Font sizes, padding, column structures, and visibility are all responsive-first.

  • sm:, md:, lg:, and xl: are used to scale layouts
  • Mobile hamburger toggles enable hidden navigation until needed
  • Code blocks and content are scrollable on small screens without breaking the layout

Accessibility

The site adopts inclusive design techniques to ensure accessibility for all users. This includes logical heading order, keyboard navigation, color contrast, and screen reader friendliness.

Color Contrast

All elements maintain sufficient contrast ratios in both light and dark themes.

Keyboard Navigation

Tab index ordering ensures natural keyboard movement throughout all pages.

Visual Hierarchy

Typography, spacing, and color use define a clear visual hierarchy that allows users to skim and scan effectively.

  • Headers use consistent sizing and spacing
  • Accent colors emphasize section titles and navigation
  • Code blocks use syntax-based highlighting to convey structure

Consistency

Consistency builds trust. Every visual pattern—from border radii to navigation controls—is repeated across the site without deviation.

  • All buttons use consistent padding, font size, and hover behavior
  • Sections follow a predictable mb-20 vertical rhythm
  • Card layouts reuse the same Tailwind utility grouping sitewide