Functional Patterns
What Are Functional Patterns
Patterns defined by what users can do, not how they look
Key Insight
Functional patterns are defined by the user behaviors they enable, not their visual appearance. A "Promotional Billboard" and a "Course List Item" may both use a card layout, but they serve different functions and require different content structures. Naming by function—not appearance—reveals which patterns can be consolidated and makes choosing the right pattern intuitive.
Key Points
- •Functional patterns are defined by purpose: what does this help users accomplish?
- •The same visual element may serve different functions in different contexts
- •Naming by function (not appearance) improves discoverability and reuse
- •Function-first thinking reveals consolidation opportunities
- •Domain-specific patterns emerge from core user workflows of the product
Guidelines
- ✓Ask "What does this help users accomplish?" before "What does this look like?"
- ✓Name patterns after actions or purposes, not visual characteristics
- ✓Document the user behavior each pattern supports
- ✓Look for patterns serving similar functions that could be unified
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