Layered Logic: Designing with Depth, Roles, and Hierarchies
Donovan Dynamics – Dimension Nine: Latitude
Not all systems grow outward. Some grow downward—adding depth, structure, and meaning through layers. These systems aren’t sprawling—they’re stacked. And when done well, they feel powerful, elegant, and quietly organized.
In Donovan Dynamics, Latitude is the second dimension of Coordinates. It describes a system’s vertical structure: the layers of access, roles, hierarchy, or meaning that give it shape.
Latitude isn’t about reach—it’s about depth.
Depth Is Power—But It Can Get Heavy
Well-layered systems are rich with context:
Admin vs. user views
Beginner vs. expert flows
Feature sets that expand as you learn
Content that unfolds, rather than overwhelms
But vertical systems can also get dense. If the layers aren’t well-designed, the system becomes top-heavy, bureaucratic, or confusing.
Latitude asks: Does your system grow in a way people can climb?
Case Study: DroneDeploy
At DroneDeploy, I worked on aerial mapping tools that layered massive amounts of geospatial data—imagery, elevation, vegetation, annotations, and more—on top of each other.
We had to design a system that supported:
Simple views for field workers
Advanced overlays for analysts
Admin tools for fleet managers
API integrations for enterprise partners
Everyone saw the same map—but what it meant depended on what layer you were viewing. The challenge wasn’t just information density—it was vertical clarity.
The design had to say: You’re here. You’re seeing this. And here’s why.
Where Latitude Shows Up in Design
Role-based access
Onboarding and progressive disclosure
Feature hierarchies
Permission structures
Data depth and filtering layers
Latitude supports personalization, context, and growth over time. But only when each layer makes sense on its own—and in relation to the others.
Questions to Ask in the Latitude Dimension
Does this system deepen as users grow—or stay flat?
Are we overwhelming people by exposing too much too soon?
Do the roles and permissions reflect real mental models?
Can a new user climb this system without getting lost?
Closing Thought: Depth With Purpose
Latitude is about structure that unfolds. It gives users room to grow, roles to play, and knowledge to earn.
In Donovan Dynamics, Latitude helps you design systems that aren’t just wide—but deep with intention.