/layers-surface

Assumes /layers-intro has been loaded for framework context.

The surface layer is where everything decided in the layers below becomes something a person actually encounters: words, sounds, visuals, physical affordances, motion, feedback. It is the most medium-specific layer, but the most important decisions to make first are universal — they apply regardless of whether the surface is a screen, voice interface, physical device, or service touchpoint.

Surface violations are often symptoms of deeper problems. This skill distinguishes between issues you can fix at the surface and issues that require revisiting a lower layer.

Decisions this layer needs to make:

• Does the surface honour the vocabulary and objects from the conceptual model?
• Is every affordance from the breadboard present — and is there surface content with no model behind it?
• Does the surface convey the right emotional register for the jobs users are doing?
• How does the user know what happened, what's in progress, and what went wrong?
• What is most prominent, and should it be?
• Is every piece of information accessible to the users who need it?

Methods:

| Method | When |