Visual styles

In accordance with the 21st Century IDEA Act and USDA guidance, we’ve used the U.S. Web Design System (USWDS) in our design and development work. USWDS is a design system for federal government websites that provides themable components and UX guidance for common web components.

We’ve worked mostly within the default USWDS component set and styles for early prototyping. As we continue testing and learning, we may encounter needs that encourage us to consider alternative components or adjustments. Our goal is for visual styles to reflect the needs of the people who use them, and be guided by USWDS design principles.

USFS branding and USWDS

We want NRM G&A to be recognized as a Forest Service application and follow USFS branding guidance. USWDS components can be themed to meet user needs and reflect agency branding.

The USFS has experimented with different implementations of USWDS. A USWDS theme was recently created for fs.usda.gov, and EAD-CIO has been building out 🔒 a digital playbook to give guidance on FS UI patterns.

Our early prototypes do not include USFS branding or a USFS theme yet. But, we have collected resources that can be useful for future teams:

• 🔒 Forest Service style guide and branding guidelines
• 🔒 USWDS theme files from fs.usda.gov/
• 🔒 Automated styleguide via Drupal from fs.usda.gov
• 🔒 USFS Digital playbook by EAD, uses USWDS1
• USDA digital strategy playbook