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- Target audience - POD research findings - Preset rationale - Customisation philosophy - Delete docs/spec.md (outdated, didn't match implementation) Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 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