Components, Patterns, and Frameworks! Oh My!

Jared Spool describes how components, patterns and frameworks can provide speed and efficiency to software development teams.

In our research, we've found that teams that build out a re-use strategy see tangible benefits: They are more likely to get a completed design sooner, with all the little nuances and details that make for a great experience. Their designs are more likely to meet users expectations by behaving consistently across the entire functionality. Plus, the teams iterate faster (always a good thing), giving them a chance to play with the design while it's still malleable.

• Patterns: the design response to specific behaviors such as always using a calendar picker for selecting dates rather than drop-downs for month, day and year.
• Components: the detailed implementation of the pattern; the code and styles to be used for the calendar picker.
• Frameworks: groups of patterns and components. The date picker could be part of a larger framework for a personal profile.