Who this section is for. The Craft & Foundations pages explain why Ash looks and feels the way it does — the values and taste behind the Design System. Humans: read this before designing anything new. Agents: for implementing UI, the Design System section (tokens, theming, components) is your reference; consult these pages when making design decisions — choosing layouts, adding elements, judging whether something belongs — not for API lookups.
Core belief
People’s time is precious. Your app has to earn the right to be on someone’s phone. Every element on screen must justify its existence — not to the business, but to the person using it. If something is there to serve a metric rather than a human need, remove it. This extends from Self-Determination Theory. Every design decision should support:- Autonomy — Give users real choices and control. Never manipulate, trick, or funnel people into actions that serve the business at their expense. No dark patterns. Ever.
- Competency — Make users feel capable, not confused. Interfaces should be immediately legible. If someone has to “figure out” how to use a feature, the design has failed.
- Relatedness — The product should feel like it was made by someone who cares. Warmth, craft, and attention to detail communicate respect. Cold efficiency is not the goal.
The tightrope: essentialism + humanity
The philosophy walks a deliberate line between two traditions. The essentialist side — Dieter Rams, Victor Papanek, Don Norman. Solve the problem. Don’t waste the user’s time. Strip away everything that isn’t serving a clear purpose. Design for the Real World is the foundational text. The human side — Buck Design’s narrative worldbuilding, Sekani Solomon’s transition from motion graphics to product, Claudio Guglieri moving between 3D and software. Design should leave people with something memorable and meaningful — art, delight, personality. Flat and bland is not the same as minimal and focused. How to navigate this in practice:- V0 releases prioritize structural soundness. Get the UX right. Follow the design system. Use simple, proven patterns. A solid V0 should feel comfortable and correct even if it never gets a visual polish pass.
- Expressive moments are earned, not sprinkled. Don’t add delight for its own sake. Identify the specific moments where personality, animation, or visual richness will meaningfully improve the experience — then invest deeply in those moments.
- If forced to choose, choose function. A sound UX with plain visuals is always preferable to a beautiful interface that confuses people.
How to apply this
This is a permanent design context layer — it applies to every design task regardless of the specific PRD.1
Start from the design system
Use existing components first — see Quickstart and Components.
2
Apply the essentialism test
Does every element justify its existence to the user?
3
Check typography and spacing
These are the most common failure points — see Typography and Spacing & Layout.
4
Consider the emotional context
Someone may be vulnerable when using Ash — see Designing for Ash.
5
Add expressive elements only with purpose
Decoration must serve a functional or emotional goal.
6
When uncertain, choose simpler, warmer, more respectful
Of two viable approaches, pick the one that respects the user’s time most.
Where to go next
Process
Reference-first design, building from parts, and spending your deepest thinking on unknown unknowns.
Designing for Ash
What designing for mental health demands of an interface.
Craft rules
Hierarchy, typography, spacing, color, depth — the concrete rules that make UI feel designed.
Anti-patterns
The never-do-these list.