Design system for stressed users
Court users are under extreme stress. Cognitive overload, technostress, and complex interfaces cause abandonment and errors. When someone is navigating the most difficult moment of their life -- a custody hearing, an eviction, a protection order -- the last thing they need is a confusing interface. Studies show that stress reduces working memory capacity by up to 50%, yet most legal tech interfaces are designed as if users have unlimited attention and patience.
A purpose-built design system that reduces cognitive load at every step. Step-by-step flows break complex processes into manageable pieces. Plain language UI replaces legal jargon with words real people use. Progress tracking with encouragement keeps users moving forward. "Explain like I'm 12" toggles let users choose their complexity level. Calming design patterns reduce anxiety instead of amplifying it.
graph LR
subgraph "Design Tokens"
Colors
Typography
Spacing
end
subgraph "Components"
StepWizard
ProgressBar
PlainLanguageToggle
CalmAlert
GuidedFlow
end
subgraph "Patterns"
MultiStepForm["Multi-step Form"]
HelpOverlay["Help Overlay"]
ComplexityReducer["Complexity Reducer"]
end
Colors --> StepWizard
Typography --> StepWizard
Spacing --> StepWizard
Colors --> ProgressBar
Colors --> PlainLanguageToggle
Colors --> CalmAlert
Colors --> GuidedFlow
StepWizard --> MultiStepForm
ProgressBar --> MultiStepForm
PlainLanguageToggle --> ComplexityReducer
CalmAlert --> HelpOverlay
GuidedFlow --> MultiStepForm
MultiStepForm --> ThemeProvider["Theme Provider"]
HelpOverlay --> ThemeProvider
ComplexityReducer --> ThemeProvider
- Court users under stress -- people facing eviction, custody disputes, or criminal charges who need to fill out forms and understand processes
- Elderly litigants -- older adults who may struggle with complex digital interfaces
- Users with cognitive disabilities -- people who benefit from simplified, step-by-step interactions
- ESL speakers -- users who need plain language over legal jargon
- Justice tech developers -- teams building court-facing applications who need accessible, stress-tested components
- Step-by-step wizard components that break complex tasks into small, achievable steps
- Plain language toggle system that lets users switch between legal and everyday language
- Progress tracking with encouragement messages to keep users motivated
- Calming alert and notification patterns that inform without alarming
- WCAG 2.1 AA compliant out of the box
- Storybook documentation with usage examples and accessibility notes
npm install @justice-os/cognitive-load-uiimport { StepWizard, PlainLanguageToggle, CalmAlert } from '@justice-os/cognitive-load-ui';
function CourtFilingForm() {
const steps = [
{
title: 'About You',
description: 'Basic contact information (2 fields)',
content: <PersonalInfoFields />,
},
{
title: 'What Happened',
description: 'Tell us about your case',
content: <CaseDetailsFields />,
},
{
title: 'Review & Submit',
description: 'Check everything before filing',
content: <ReviewSummary />,
},
];
return (
<StepWizard
steps={steps}
onComplete={() => console.log('Filed!')}
allowSaveProgress={true}
/>
);
}See examples/step-wizard-demo.tsx for a full working example.
git clone https://github.com/dougdevitre/cognitive-load-ui.git
cd cognitive-load-ui
npm install
npm run dev # Start Storybook on port 6006
npm run test # Run tests
npm run build # Build for production| Feature | Status |
|---|---|
| StepWizard component with progress tracking | Done |
| Calming color token system (WCAG AA) | Done |
| PlainLanguageToggle for jargon/plain switching | In Progress |
| CalmAlert notification patterns | In Progress |
| Storybook documentation site | Planned |
| Dark mode / high-contrast theme | Planned |
MIT -- see LICENSE for details.
This repository is part of the Justice OS open-source ecosystem — 32 interconnected projects building the infrastructure for accessible justice technology.
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| justice-os | Core modular platform — the foundation |
| justice-api-gateway | Interoperability layer for courts |
| legal-identity-layer | Universal legal identity and auth |
| case-continuity-engine | Never lose case history across systems |
| offline-justice-sync | Works without internet — local-first sync |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| justice-navigator | Google Maps for legal problems |
| mobile-court-access | Mobile-first court access kit |
| cognitive-load-ui | Design system for stressed users |
| multilingual-justice | Real-time legal translation |
| voice-legal-interface | Justice without reading or typing |
| legal-plain-language | Turn legalese into human language |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| vetted-legal-ai | RAG engine with citation validation |
| justice-knowledge-graph | Open data layer for laws and procedures |
| legal-ai-guardrails | AI safety SDK for justice use |
| emotional-intelligence-ai | Reduce conflict, improve outcomes |
| ai-reasoning-engine | Show your work for AI decisions |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| evidence-vault | Privacy-first secure evidence storage |
| court-notification-engine | Smart deadline and hearing alerts |
| justice-analytics | Bias detection and disparity dashboards |
| evidence-timeline | Evidence timeline builder |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| court-doc-engine | TurboTax for legal filings |
| justice-workflow-engine | Zapier for legal processes |
| pro-se-toolkit | Self-represented litigant tools |
| justice-score-engine | Access-to-justice measurement |
| justice-app-generator | No-code builder for justice tools |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| justice-persona-simulator | Test products against real human realities |
| justice-experiment-lab | A/B testing for justice outcomes |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| digital-literacy-sim | Digital literacy simulator |
| legal-resource-discovery | Find the right help instantly |
| court-simulation-sandbox | Practice before the real thing |
| justice-components | Reusable component library |
| justice-dev-starter-kit | Ultimate boilerplate for justice tech builders |
Built with purpose. Open by design. Justice for all.
This project is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, legal representation, or an attorney-client relationship. No warranty is made regarding accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular legal matter. Always consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before making legal decisions. Use of this software does not create any professional-client relationship.
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