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UCCA Surface UX Philosophy

Classification: INTERNAL — Architecture Owner: Tim Rignold Status: Active Date: 2026-03-22

Every brief that touches L3, L4, or L4A surface design must read this document first.

The Core Principle

The platform has five layers. Each layer serves a fundamentally different actor with a fundamentally different job to do. The UX model follows the actor, not the engine.

Layer by Layer

L1 and L2 — Console

Tim, Alex, UCCA ops staff. Full information density. Every control accessible. These people know the system deeply and move fast. Optimise for completeness and speed. Learnability is not a concern.

L3 — Product

Bill. An RTO operator who is an expert in his domain, not in UCCA's engine. He needs to manage his scope, his compliance, and his staff. The product must be excellent here — not a stripped-down version of the ops console, but a purpose-built product surface. Sidebar navigation is appropriate but language and density must reflect Bill's world. Think: a compliance professional's desktop app, not a SaaS admin panel.

L4 — Application

Bill's client organisations. These users are even further removed from the engine. They are using a product that Bill has configured. They should not see UCCA at all unless Bill has chosen to surface UCCA branding. The interface should feel like an app — card-based, task-oriented, minimal chrome. No sidebar unless there is a genuinely compelling reason. Guided workflows over menus.

L4A — Single task

Individual staff members. Trainer. Assessor. Auditor. They arrive with one job. The interface should almost disappear. Present the task, capture the outcome, exit. Navigation is a distraction.

Step-Down from Ops

When UCCA steps down to L4 or L4A from the ops console, it is for a support or diagnostic reason — someone has reported a problem and it needs to be seen from the user's perspective.

The step-down experience has two components: 1. The user's actual view — rendered faithfully, no UCCA chrome bleeding in 2. The UCCA DIAGNOSTICS overlay — amber-tinted panel, session info, support notes, audit trail, exit control

Nothing else from ops is visible at L4/L4A step-down.

What This Means for Briefs

  • Any brief touching L3 surface design: reference this doc. Build for Bill, not for Tim.
  • Any brief touching L4 surface design: do not assume sidebar. Justify any navigation chrome you add.
  • Any brief touching L4A: single task, minimal chrome, guided flow.
  • Any brief touching step-down to L4/L4A: diagnostics overlay only, no ops console chrome.