The current "Classic" HIG features the following //design vision// [1]:
> The design vision focuses on two attributes of KDE software that connect its past to its future.
> * Simple by default - Simple and inviting. KDE software is pleasant to experience and easy to use.
> * Powerful when needed - Power and flexibility. KDE software allows users to be effortlessly creative and efficiently productive.
And several //design principles// derived from this vision:
> * Simple by default
> * Make it easy to focus on what matters. - Remove or minimize elements not crucial to the primary or main task. Use spacing to keep things organized. Use color to draw attention. Reveal additional information or optional functions when needed, later in the presentation.
> * I know how to do that! - Make things easier to learn by reusing design patterns from other applications. Other applications that use good design are a precedent to follow.
> * Do the heavy lifting for me. - Make complex tasks simple. Make novices feel like experts. Create ways in which your users can naturally feel empowered by your software.
> * Powerful when needed
> * Solve a problem. - Identify and make very clear to the user what need is addressed and how.
> * Always in control. - It should always be clear what can be done, what is happening and what happened. The user should never feel at the mercy of the tool. Give the user the final say.
> * Be flexible. - Provide sensible defaults but consider optional functionality or customizations that do not interfere with the primary task.
While vision and derived principles still embody certain aspects of the KDE Plasma and KDE Apps experience, I would nevertheless like to reevaluate their overall usefulness nowadays and how their formulation in detail. There are two reasons for this:
1. Vision and principles are old. Formulated several years ago they stayed the same while the workspace and our mobile efforts moved on. In particular we have yet to combine them with Kirigami.
2. Principles are too abstract. In comparison to other modern software HIGs that do introduce design principles at the start [2][3] our ones are too abstract and not directly relate to graphical concepts.
3. A finite set of concrete design principles should allow us to easily structure a holistic HIG in our new reST format and we should be able to move individual guideline pages from the Wiki to the right positions in this structure.
A first step to improve upon the current vision and design principles is an evaluation of the status quo. Where did our desktop, mobile platform and apps move in the last few years? How is this still reflected by design vision and principles, and how can the principles be made more tangible in light of this progression? Also in this context what are the design elements, that our users grew to like about recent Plasma/KDE Apps interfaces and how can we formulate the underlying concepts as concrete and comprehensible design principles? At last is our design vision still in line with these principles?
[1] https://community.kde.org/KDE_Visual_Design_Group/HIG/Presentation/DesignVisionPrinciples
[2] https://material.io/guidelines/#introduction-principles
[3] https://docs.microsoft.com/de-de/windows/uwp/design/fluent-design-system/index