From 2d3b18cc11b0efd1be0600795fc1902f1ff35ca3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Eratostenes de Gitjabia Date: Sat, 9 May 2026 12:35:59 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] docs(design): LCARS adaptation rationale --- docs/03-design/lcars-language.md | 65 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 65 insertions(+) create mode 100644 docs/03-design/lcars-language.md diff --git a/docs/03-design/lcars-language.md b/docs/03-design/lcars-language.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2cda81a --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/03-design/lcars-language.md @@ -0,0 +1,65 @@ +# LCARS adaptation rationale + +Why we chose LCARS as the design language reference, and what we adapted. + +## Why LCARS + +LCARS is the "Library Computer Access/Retrieval System" — the fictional computer interface used in Star Trek: The Next Generation and later series, designed by Mike Okuda. We use it as a design language reference because: + +1. **It encodes industrial UI patterns naturally**. SCADA-style live diagrams, large status indicators, asymmetric chrome blocks, dense data with high contrast. +2. **It's instantly memorable**. Customers in early demos tell coworkers about Blocao with "the screens look like Star Trek" — that's free marketing. +3. **It signals technical competence without arrogance**. Slick, but not the kind of slick that screams "designed by a marketing team for non-technical buyers". +4. **It's open**. Mike Okuda has been generous about LCARS-inspired works, and the language is broadly understood as homage rather than impersonation. + +We don't claim Star Trek licensing. We pay homage and adapt. + +## What we kept + +- **Asymmetric chrome blocks** with rounded corners on one or two sides only. +- **Pill-shaped buttons** in the rail, color-flipped when active. +- **Numeric prefixes** on rail entries (`10 · CAMS`, `45 · GITOPS`, `98 · HEALTH`) — pure LCARS. +- **Dense data with monospace** for timestamps, IDs, technical info. +- **Status strip at the bottom** with chips of color-coded dots. +- **Title strips at the top** with the system ID line below the main title. +- **High contrast on black** background. +- **Antonio-class typeface** (compressed letterforms) for titles. + +## What we changed + +- **Palette rotated 180°** (cyan-dominant instead of orange-dominant). See [ADR-0001](../../decisions/0001-paleta-complementaria.md). Reasons: brand collision and orange = warning conflict. +- **No flashing animations** — LCARS often had 1-second blink cycles on large panels. Annoying on a 10-hour shift. Pulses are slow (2s+). +- **Live SCADA diagrams** replace text-heavy multi-card overviews. SYNOPSIS is more LCARS than the original LCARS-inspired admin pages we sketched first. +- **Modern web typography** instead of bitmap fonts. Antonio + JetBrains Mono via Google Fonts. +- **Web-native layouts** (CSS grid, flex) instead of pixel-perfect static positioning. + +## What we deliberately didn't do + +- **No giant top-bar header** with the show's logo. We're not a Star Trek tribute site. +- **No fictional terminology** (no "warp core", no "dilithium chamber"). Real product, real terms. +- **No purely decorative graphical elements** (no oblique parallelogram blocks just because). Every shape on screen has a function. +- **No animated boot sequence** with bloops and blings. The product loads instantly. +- **No constant moving stuff** — the SCADA flows animate, but everything else is still until something happens. + +## Risk: it's "too much" + +Some demo viewers may say "this looks like a niche thing, won't fit our org". Counter: + +- The visual identity is **distinctive**, which is the point. +- Operators get used to it within minutes — first-time-friction in exchange for long-term recall. +- The tokens are configurable; an enterprise customer who wants a sober palette can have one (subset of brand customization features post-MVP). + +## Reference materials + +- Mike Okuda's original LCARS PDF graphic standards (publicly available). +- The LCARS Standards Document by various fan communities. +- Star Trek: TNG and DS9 episodes — pause on engineering screens for design references. + +## Authoring stance + +When adding a new view or panel, ask: + +1. Would this be at home on the bridge of the Enterprise-D? (yes = on-language) +2. Does it serve a real operational need? (yes = legitimate) +3. Does it sacrifice clarity for style? (yes = scale back) + +Only views that pass all three end up in the console.