Independent project

UX Anatomy Field Notes

A bestiary of interface behaviour.

UX Anatomy is a field-notes series about the tiny interface creatures users meet every day: buttons, links, inputs, dropdowns, toggles, spinners, and other small beasts with disproportionate power.

Each specimen studies what the component does, how it fails, what it reveals about user confidence, and how to treat it before it starts biting people.

UX Anatomy Field Notes book cover showing an aged field notebook, specimen index, and illustrated interface creature.

Project Premise

UX Anatomy is a field-notes series about small interface elements with absurd levels of responsibility. They look simple. They are not.

Each specimen treats an atomic component as a living thing: its behaviour, failure modes, accessibility needs, diagnostic clues, and practical treatment before it quietly damages trust, clarity, and decision-making.

Current Observations

Live specimens in the UX Anatomy field notes.

Close-up field notes illustration of Pressus Obviousus, the Button specimen.

001 Pressus Obviousus The Button A small creature with disproportionate responsibility. Initiates action. Delivers consequence. Read specimen →

Close-up field notes illustration of Selectus Multiplicatus, the Dropdown specimen.

002 Selectus Multiplicatus The Dropdown A compact creature with a hidden interior. Read specimen →

Close-up field notes illustration of Hintus Evanescens, the tooltiop specimen.

003 Hintus Evanescens The Tooltip A small, fluttering creature of the interface undergrowth. Read specimen →

Close-up field notes illustration of Calendarius Ambiguus, the date field specimen.

004 Calendarius Ambiguus The Date Field Looks harmless. Contains rules, traps, locale goblins and tiny calendar mazes. Read specimen →

Close-up field notes illustration of Incrementum Fiddlus, the stepper specimen.

005 Incrementum Fiddlus The Stepper A plus-minus creature with more bureaucracy than expected. Read specimen →

Close-up field notes illustration of Ghostus Labelus, the placeholder specimen.

006 Ghostus Labelus The Placeholder A pale, sad little creature living inside empty form fields, pretending to be a label. Read specimen →

Close-up field notes illustration of Errata Snappus, the placeholder specimen.

007 Errata Snappus The Error Message A theatrical little validation plant that blooms when user input meets system rules. Read specimen →

Close-up field notes illustration of Secretus Gobblarius, the password field specimen.

008 Secretus Gobblarius The Password Field The secret-eating beast lurking inside password fields Read specimen →

Close-up field notes illustration of Luminus Ambivalens, the toggle specimen.

009 Luminus Ambivalens The Toggle The tiny glow-bug lurking inside toggle switches, forever asking what it's butt is doing. Read specimen →

Close-up field notes illustration of Serpentus Approximalis, the slider specimen.

010 Serpentus Approximalis The Slider The slippery little range snake lurking inside sliders. Read specimen →

Specimen's Coming Soon

A growing catalogue of interface creatures, observed in their natural habitats.

Caught something in the wild you want me to identify and catalogue? Mail me

Awaiting dissection The Link

Awaiting dissection The Checkbox

Awaiting dissection The Radio

Awaiting dissection The Search

Awaiting dissection The Spinner