Get Started
This guide helps different roles get started with the Acua Design System.
Quick Reference by Role
| Role | Reference Sections | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Product Manager | Overview, Patterns, Content | Decision criteria for specifications, terminology |
| Designer | Overview, Foundations, Components, Patterns | Component selection, pattern application |
| Engineer | Foundations, Components, Localization | Token values, component implementation, localization |
| QA | Components, Patterns, Content | Expected behavior verification, error message testing |
| CS | Content | User explanations, terminology consistency |
Design Principles
Acua products embody the following principles as a back-office SaaS:
| Principle | Description |
|---|---|
| Clarity over cleverness | Prefer straightforward UI over clever solutions |
| Accuracy is safety | Misreading amounts, dates, or approval states leads to business incidents |
| Efficiency for repetition | Optimize for users processing 100+ items at month-end |
| Trust through transparency | Explain what AI did and why it suggested a value |
| Forgiveness over prevention | Assume mistakes happen; make undo/correction easy |
User Characteristics
- Mix of daily power users (accountants) and occasional approvers (managers)
- Moderate IT literacy (can use Excel but not programming)
- Workload peaks at month-end and quarter-end
Business Characteristics
- Zero tolerance for errors when handling money
- Audit requirements: who did what, when
- Approval workflows with role-based visibility and permissions