Tectonic Software Solutions - Figma & Design System Creation
Project Overview
Company: Tectonic Software Solutions
Business Model: Software development house offering:
- Custom full-stack development (primary service)
- Team augmentation/IT staffing (future expansion)
Target Users: Startups, retail companies, enterprises, businesses needing team augmentation
Technical Stack: Next.js App Router, TypeScript, Tailwind + shadcn/ui, Zustand/Jotai, Zod, Formik, Lodash, Drizzle ORM, Vercel deployment
Goal: Create landing page designs and comprehensive design system using Figma & Design System Creation workflow
Workflow Process Followed
Phase 1: AI-Guided Design Planning (Claude)
Step 1: Product Brief Creation ✅
Input Template Used:
I'm starting a [software development house landing page] called [Tectonic Software Solutions], for [startups, retail companies, enterprises, and businesses needing team augmentation]. The goal is to [market and present comprehensive software development services and attract clients]. Users can [explore services, view our expertise, learn about our development process, see case studies, contact for project quotes, and request team augmentation services].
Final Project Brief: Tectonic Software Solutions is a full-stack software development house that builds end-to-end applications and provides skilled developer teams to businesses of all sizes.
Core Value Proposition: We transform business ideas into scalable software solutions through complete development services - from initial concept to deployment and ongoing maintenance - while also offering experienced developers for team augmentation when companies need to scale quickly without the overhead of hiring.
Services We Offer:
- Custom Software Development: Full-stack web and mobile applications built with modern technologies
- Team Augmentation: Skilled developers (frontend, backend, QA) integrated into existing client teams
- Technical Consulting: Architecture planning and technology strategy guidance
Why We Need This Landing Page: To establish credibility in the competitive software development market, showcase our technical expertise, attract quality leads, and convert visitors into clients for both our development projects and staffing services.
Step 2: Sitemap Creation ✅
Initial Comprehensive Sitemap:
TECTONIC SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS - SITEMAP
Homepage (/)
├── Hero Section
├── Services Overview
├── Our Process
├── Portfolio/Case Studies
├── Technology Stack
├── About/Team
├── Testimonials
└── Contact/Get Quote
Primary Pages:
├── Services (/services)
│ ├── Custom Development (/services/development)
│ └── Team Augmentation (/services/staffing)
│
├── Portfolio (/portfolio)
│ ├── Demo Projects
│ ├── Personal/Side Projects
│ └── "How We Built This Site" Case Study
│
├── About (/about)
│ ├── Our Team
│ └── Our Story
│
├── Contact (/contact)
│ ├── Project Inquiry Form
│ └── General Contact
│
└── Blog (/blog)
└── Technical Articles (for credibility)
Footer Pages:
├── Privacy Policy (/privacy)
├── Terms of Service (/terms)
Simple Interconnections:
- Services link to contact forms
- Portfolio showcases technical capabilities
- Team page highlights individual expertise
- Blog establishes technical credibility
- Clear CTAs throughout pointing to contact
Rationale for Focused Approach: Simplified from enterprise-level sitemap to realistic startup structure, focusing on what can be delivered now without overwhelming visitors or making promises we can't yet fulfill.
Step 3: Competitive Research ✅
Key Agencies Analyzed:
- Netguru (630+ developers, 10+ years experience)
- 10up (200 team members, works with Microsoft, Time, ESPN, Adobe)
- Thoughtbot (Ruby on Rails specialists, serves Harvard Business Review, GitHub, Disney)
Common Success Patterns:
- Clear value propositions focused on partnership rather than vendor relationships
- Strong social proof through client testimonials and case studies
- Human-centered messaging emphasizing collaboration
- Educational content strategies building trust through expertise demonstration
- Technical credibility display through stack, methodologies, and achievements
2025 Design Trends Identified:
- Minimalist brutalism revival with bold typography and clean layouts
- AI integration as table stakes for modern agencies
- Mobile-first responsive design (67.3% of traffic is mobile)
- Sophisticated light effects and luminous aesthetics
- Custom typography as centerpieces rather than accents
- Strategic use of Mocha Mousse (#967259) - Pantone's 2025 Color of the Year
Step 4: Layout Concepts ✅
Created Three Visual Design Approaches:
Concept 1: Minimalist Brutalist
- Bold, high-contrast design with stark typography
- Sharp geometric layouts and dramatic shadows
- Strong uppercase typography and clean lines
- Split-screen hero with diagonal elements
- Vibe: Confident, direct, technical authority
Concept 2: Modern Technical ⭐ [SELECTED]
- Dark theme with sophisticated gradients and effects
- Floating cards with glassmorphism
- Tech-forward with animated grid backgrounds
- Badge-style UI elements with statistical trust indicators
- Vibe: Cutting-edge, innovative, premium
Concept 3: Creative Asymmetric
- Organic flowing shapes and natural elements
- Asymmetric layouts with rounded corners
- Human-centered design with personality
- Morphing background elements
- Vibe: Creative, approachable, design-conscious
Selected Direction: Modern Technical concept chosen for its alignment with cutting-edge software development positioning.
Step 5: UI Structure Documentation ✅
Mobile-First Approach (Corrected):
Homepage Structure:
Mobile Layout:
- Fixed navigation with hamburger menu
- Hero section: Single column stack
- Badge element ("Next-Gen Development")
- Large headline (responsive sizing)
- Subtitle paragraph
- Stacked call-to-action buttons (full width)
- Single column trust stats (3 rows)
- Services section: Single column stack
- Section header with badge and title
- Service cards stacked vertically
- Footer (four-column on desktop, single column on mobile)
Desktop Layout:
- Hero: Two-column grid (content left, visual right)
- Services: Two-column grid with larger cards
- Full navigation menu visible
- Floating card elements in hero visual area
Global Footer Structure:
- Mobile: Single column with logo, links, newsletter, legal
- Desktop: Four-column grid (Logo + description, Services, Company links, Newsletter + social)
Responsive Breakpoints:
- Mobile: 320px - 767px (single column focus)
- Tablet: 768px - 1023px (two-column layouts)
- Desktop: 1024px+ (multi-column grids)
Step 6: Style Guide Creation ✅
Color Palette:
- Deep Navy (#0A1628): Primary brand, text, backgrounds
- Electric Blue (#3B82F6): CTAs, links, interactive elements
- Mocha Mousse (#967259): Accents, warmth, gradients
- Pure White (#FFFFFF): Primary backgrounds, cards
- Off White (#F8FAFC): Secondary backgrounds
- Neutral Gray (#64748B): Secondary text, subtle elements
Typography System:
- Font Family: 'Space Grotesk' with system fallbacks
- H1: 48px, weight 700, line-height 1.1, gradient text effect
- H2: 36px, weight 700, line-height 1.2
- H3: 28px, weight 600, line-height 1.3
- Body: 16px, weight 400, line-height 1.6
- Code: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace
Component System:
- Primary Button: Gradient background (#3B82F6 to #2563EB), 16px padding, 12px border-radius
- Cards: 24px border-radius, subtle shadows, hover animations
- Forms: 12px border-radius, focus states with Electric Blue
- Badges: Pill-shaped, 14px text, colored backgrounds with transparency
Animation Principles:
- Standard transition: all 0.3s ease
- Hover transforms: translateY(-2px to -8px)
- Floating animations: 6s ease-in-out infinite
- Performance-focused implementations
Step 7: Design System Pages Definition ✅
Essential Pages for Tectonic:
Core Business Pages:
- Homepage (hero, services, tech stack, process, team, contact)
- Services Overview (Custom Development + Team Augmentation)
- Custom Development Service Page
- Team Augmentation Service Page
- Portfolio Page (demo projects, case studies)
- About Page (team, story, values)
- Contact Page (project inquiry, staffing requests)
- Blog Page (technical articles)
Business-Specific Components:
- Software Development Service Cards with technical icons
- Technology Stack Badges (React, TypeScript, Node.js, etc.)
- Project Type Selectors (Web app, Mobile app, API, etc.)
- Team Augmentation Role Cards (Frontend, Backend, QA, DevOps)
- Development Process Timeline (Discovery → Architecture → Development → Launch)
- Pricing Engagement Models (Project-based, Dedicated team, Hourly)
Key Decisions Made
- Business Focus: Prioritized custom development with team augmentation as secondary service
- Design Direction: Selected Modern Technical concept for cutting-edge positioning
- Mobile-First: Corrected to proper mobile-first design approach
- Realistic Scope: Simplified sitemap for startup phase rather than enterprise-level complexity
- Technical Credibility: Emphasized modern tech stack and development process transparency
Current Status
✅ Completed Phase 1: AI-Guided Design Planning (Steps 1-6) 🔄 Ready for Phase 2: UX Pilot Design System Creation
Next Steps:
- Create new design file in UX Pilot
- Import style descriptions via Autoflow
- Generate initial design system
- Save to Figma and begin component training
Technical Implementation Notes
Development Stack Planned:
- Frontend: Next.js App Router + TypeScript + Tailwind + shadcn/ui
- State: Zustand/Jotai
- Forms: Formik + Zod validation
- Utilities: Lodash
- Database: Drizzle ORM + Vercel DB
- Deployment: Vercel
Design System Integration:
- Component-based architecture aligned with React development
- Utility-first CSS with Tailwind
- Accessible design patterns
- Performance-optimized implementations
Resources Created
- Project Brief: Complete business description and value proposition
- Sitemap: Focused page hierarchy for startup software house
- Competitive Research: Analysis of successful agency patterns
- Visual Style Guide: Complete component and styling documentation
- UI Structure: Mobile-first page layouts and component specifications
- Design System Plan: Specific pages and components needed for implementation
Ready to proceed with UX Pilot implementation using this foundation.