Consistent design
Use the design system components predictably. It reduces cognitive load for everyone, but it’s essential for users with learning disabilities.
Consistency in AgDS
Our use of consistent design in our components achieved full WCAG conformance in accessibility audits in 2022 and 2024. Implementation of AgDS design consistency in our patterns is demonstrated in the yourGov application.
We use examples of consistent design throughout the design system components, patterns, templates, documentation. Use our examples and guidance to ensure consistent design in your digital products and services.
- Our design tokens are the building blocks that create a consistent look and feel across all products.
- Using our tested design patterns and templates ensures that the interactions and flows for similar tasks are presented to users in a consistent way.
- We provide guidance on consistent use of our components – for example, in Button we advise to left align buttons from the most to least important action.
- Our content section provides guidance on consistent terminology – for example, don’t use ‘Attach evidence’ as a label in one instance, and then ‘Attachments’ in another.
Requirements
- Consistent styles, placement and behaviour of components.
- Text alternatives are consistently used for the same icon or graphic.
- Consistent terminology.
Benefits
- Improves learnability.
- Interactions are more predictable.
- Reduces cognitive load, especially when completing a multi-step process.
- Improves accessibility for users with cognitive disabilities.