Design principles

We’ve researched the needs of Californians and created these principles to help state departments create great websites, services, and products.

Principle 1

Design for people’s needs

Put the needs of California first in everything you do. Make your guiding question, “What does someone need to do?”

Principle 2

Do the hard work to make it simple and great

Government services often put the burden on people to understand and navigate services and polices. Break down these barriers for them to create simple, understandable services.

Principle 3

Prioritize accessibility

Make your services accessible for all Californians. Think about people who have been traditionally excluded, like people who use screen readers or reside in low bandwidth regions.

Principle 4

Be concise

Things are easy to use when they’re simple. Ask yourself, “Does this word, image, or functionality help people do what they need to do?”

Principle 5

Design with data

Use research and analytics to understand how people use your services and products. This keeps us focused on their needs, not preconceived solutions.

Principle 6

Iterate, then iterate again

Services and products are never finished. Rigorously test and refine your work to make sure it’s robust and useful.

Principle 7

Be consistent, but not uniform

Use the component, content, and visual guidelines. This creates a shared, consistent experience across state departments.

Principle 8

Optimize performance

Not every Californian has a high-end device. When you build services and products, think about people on a range of devices and internet speeds.

Principle 9

Make things open

As part of our commitment to transparency and collaboration, our default state is to share. Design System work is open to the public.