View

Views are purposeful framings of data that make information legible for specific needs and contexts. Rather than presenting data in a single fixed way, the system enables fluid navigation across multiple dimensions of representation.

User needs

• Access information at the right granularity for their current task without losing context
• Navigate seamlessly between overview and detail without disorientation
• Frame data according to their immediate purpose (monitoring, analysis, investigation)
• Maintain recognition of entities across different representations
• Define and persist useful framings for repeated tasks

Framing dimensions

Views vary along several independent dimensions that combine to create appropriate representations:

Scope

• Single item: Focus on one entity with varying levels of detail
• Collection: Display multiple items with tools for comparison and exploration

Granularity

The semantic level of information shown:

• Reference: Identification and linking (name, type)
• Summary: Quick assessment without leaving current context (key attributes, status)
• Detail: Relevant information for current task (task-specific data)
• Full: Complete information with history and relationships

Intent

The purpose driving the view selection:

• Monitoring: Track operational data and maintain situational awareness
• Analysis: Compare and explore to draw conclusions
• Drilldown: Investigate specific entities by progressively narrowing focus

Time

• Snapshot: Current state
• Trend: Changes over time
• History: Complete record and evolution

Navigation mechanisms

Users navigate between views through various mechanisms:

• Links and menu items for discrete navigation between pages or sections
• Semantic zoom for representation change under a shared scale control
• Expand/collapse controls for progressive disclosure
• Modal and drawer triggers for contextual overlays
• Breadcrumbs and back navigation for hierarchical traversal

The choice of mechanism depends on the relationship between views and the need to preserve spatial context.

Implementation patterns

The view system manifests through several compositional patterns:

• Item view - Single-entity representations across semantic levels
• Data view - Collection representations with filtering, sorting, and grouping

Saved views

Views can be persisted to reduce friction for repeated tasks:

• Default views: Developers define framings aligned with core use cases
• Role-specific views: Administrators configure shared views for teams or departments
• Personal views: End users create framings tuned to their individual workflows

Saved views capture the complete framing: scope, granularity, filters, sort order, visible attributes, and layout.