Planning

Prioritizing System Work

Using frequency and pain to decide which patterns to build first

Key Insight

Not all patterns are equal. Prioritize by the intersection of frequency (how often is this pattern used?) and pain (how much does current inconsistency cost?). Patterns that appear everywhere and cause the most rework should be systematized first. Start with 5–10 core patterns and release them. Imperfect and used beats perfect and ignored.

Key Points

  • •Frequency × Pain = Priority — inventory the product before building
  • •High-frequency patterns: buttons, forms, navigation, type hierarchy
  • •High-pain patterns: those with the most variants or causing the most rework
  • •Criticality is a third dimension — rare but high-stakes patterns (error states) deserve early attention
  • •Release patterns incrementally as they're ready — don't wait for completeness

Guidelines

  • ✓Run an interface inventory: screenshot 20+ screens and count pattern frequency
  • ✓Interview engineers about which inconsistencies cause the most rework
  • ✓Start with 5–10 core patterns, not a comprehensive catalog
  • ✓Ship the first usable version fast — it builds momentum and reveals gaps
  • ✓Revisit priorities quarterly as usage data accumulates

Formula

Priority = (Usage Frequency × Pain Score) / Implementation Effort

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