Jamey Greenwood
796c39d366
- Create docs/research/design-philosophy.md with: - Core design principles - Target audience - POD research findings - Preset rationale - Customisation philosophy - Delete docs/spec.md (outdated, didn't match implementation) Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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3.1 KiB
SimpleshopTheme Design Philosophy
This document captures the design principles and research that informed the theme system architecture.
Core Principles
- "One theme, infinite variations" - Rather than offering multiple themes, we provide one solid foundation with curated customisation options
- Constrained creativity - Limit choices to prevent poor design outcomes while maintaining perceived variety
- No professional photography required - Defaults work well with product mockups, not just lifestyle imagery
- Mobile-first - All features work on touch devices (no hover-only interactions)
- Ethical design - No dark patterns like countdown timers or fake urgency
Target Audience
- Solo POD creators (artists, illustrators, designers)
- Small catalogs (typically <50 products)
- Non-technical users who found WooCommerce too complex
- Budget-conscious sellers
Research Findings: POD Theme Best Practices
What POD Sellers Actually Use
- Free themes dominate: Dawn, Spotlight, Studio most popular on Shopify
- Premium choice: Streamline ($350) best for growing POD brands
- Impulse is fashion-focused, not ideal POD default
Key Requirements for POD
- Large product imagery (mockups need to shine)
- Clean/minimal design (products are the focus)
- Quick setup (non-technical users)
- Mobile-responsive (60%+ traffic)
- Works with small catalogs
- No reliance on lifestyle photography
What to Avoid
- Countdown timers (dark pattern)
- Complex promotional systems
- Hover-only interactions
- Features requiring professional photography
- Enterprise complexity
Preset Design Rationale
Each preset targets a specific aesthetic/use case:
| Preset | Target Use Case |
|---|---|
| Gallery | Art galleries, editorial brands |
| Studio | Default, versatile, works for most |
| Boutique | Artisan, handmade goods |
| Bold | Tech, contemporary, statement brands |
| Playful | Fun, casual, approachable brands |
| Minimal | Ultra-clean, luxury positioning |
| Night | Premium, dramatic, dark mode lovers |
| Classic | Traditional, established feel |
Customisation Philosophy
Parameters Exposed to Users
- Font pairing preset - Enables brand expression without typography expertise
- Colour moods - Warm/Cool/Neutral/Dark covers most brand needs
- Shape options - Sharp/Soft/Round/Pill for personality
- Density - Adjust spacing for catalog size
- Accent colours - Primary brand customisation
Parameters Locked Down
- Line-height ratios - Users break readability when exposed
- Letter-spacing - Technical, easy to ruin
- Type scale ratio - Mathematical harmony shouldn't be adjustable
- Mobile scaling - Complex responsive logic
The principle: expose choices that are hard to get wrong, lock down choices that require design expertise.
Combination Count
With current options, the system offers:
- 4 moods × 7 typographies × 4 shapes × 3 densities × 3 grids × 3 headers = 3,024 base combinations
- Plus accent colours, layout width, button styles, shadows, etc.
This provides sufficient variety while keeping all combinations visually coherent.