User base of the Visual Framework code

The Visual Framework core ('vf-core') is not intended for direct consumption into websites, rather it's a component library that should be installed as an npm and Sass dependency to build design systems.

Common needs

For all supported audiences, we work to address shared needs:

1. Reusable, structured CSS and JS
2. CSS and JS that runs with and alongside other major tools (Foundation, Bootstrap and from the JS side Angular, React)
3. A component library
4. Sane defaults for new websites
5. Make a "look and feel" more consistent
6. Provide versioned upgrades
7. Easily add your own patterns, tweak existing patterns
8. No fixed look (doesn't have to look like any specific organisation, such as EMBL)

Audience types

Our target audience sits in three layers:

1. Maintainers of design systems for life science websites
   • needs:
     • create a design system that utilises the vf-core
     • add a vf-core component to an existing vf-core compatible system
   • primary interface:
     • npm
     • online docs
2. Lower-level developers
   • needs: build a design system for orgs that work with life science info
   • primary interface:
     • docs
     • code
     • command line utils
3. Those curious/learning/evaluating the Visual Framework
   • needs: understand what vf-core is
   • component library and documentation
   • examples of organisations using vf-core

What's not above: people building a site using generic VF-core CSS, JS and HTML components. That's currently not a use-case we encourage or see the need for beyond as a demonstrative design system.