14 KiB
Household Management App: Vue + Headless UI Refactor Specification
Executive Summary
This document outlines a comprehensive refactor strategy to transform the current household management app into a frictionless, conflict-reducing platform using Vue 3 with Composition API and headless UI libraries. The focus is on achieving sub-5-second interactions, zero-ambiguity states, and maximum adoption through radical simplification.
Core Design Philosophy
The 3-2-1 Rule
- 3 seconds: Maximum time from app open to actionable information
- 2 taps: Maximum interaction depth for common actions
- 1 source of truth: Every piece of information has exactly one authoritative display
Friction Elimination Principles
- Cognitive Load Minimization: Default to the most common choice
- Progressive Disclosure: Advanced features emerge only when needed
- Optimistic UI: Show results immediately, sync in background
- Contextual Actions: Surface relevant actions based on current state
Technical Architecture Overview
Vue 3 + Headless UI Stack
- Vue 3.4+ with Composition API and
<script setup>
- Headless UI Vue for accessible, unstyled components
- Tailwind CSS 3.4+ with custom design tokens
- VueUse for composables and utilities
- Pinia for state management with persistence
- Vue Router 4 with lazy loading
- Vite for build tooling and HMR
State Management Strategy
- Global Store Pattern: Centralized household data with reactive updates
- Optimistic Updates: UI responds immediately, queues API calls
- Offline-First: Local persistence with background sync
- Real-time Sync: WebSocket connections for live updates
Information Architecture Redesign
Current State Analysis
Most household apps fail because they:
- Require too many decisions upfront
- Hide critical information behind navigation
- Create anxiety through overdue notifications
- Generate conflicts through unclear responsibilities
New Information Hierarchy
Dashboard (Home) - Single source of truth
├── Personal Status (Above fold)
│ ├── My Next Action (1 item max)
│ ├── My Financial Status (Net balance)
│ └── Quick Win Suggestion
├── Universal Actions (FAB)
│ ├── Add Expense (80% of usage)
│ ├── Complete Chore (15% of usage)
│ └── Add to List (5% of usage)
└── Activity Feed (Social proof)
├── Completions (Positive reinforcement)
├── New Items (Transparency)
└── Financial Updates (Trust building)
Detailed Component Specifications
1. Authentication & Onboarding
AuthenticationSheet Component
Purpose: Single-screen auth with OAuth prioritization
Headless UI: Dialog
, RadioGroup
Key Features:
- Auto-detect returning users via device fingerprinting
- Social login buttons with loading states
- Inline validation with immediate feedback
- Skip-ahead for demo mode
OnboardingCarousel Component
Purpose: 60-second guided setup
Headless UI: Tabs
(hidden), Transition
Progressive Steps:
- Profile Setup: Name + photo (auto-import from OAuth)
- Household Decision: Join vs Create (large touch targets)
- Invite Flow: QR code + shareable link generation
- Feature Showcase: 4 cards with scroll-through interaction
HouseholdInvite Component
Purpose: Frictionless joining experience Features:
- Auto-uppercase invite codes with hyphen forgiveness
- QR scanner with camera permissions handling
- Deep-link magic from external shares
- Real-time validation with helpful error states
2. Dashboard (Home Screen)
PersonalStatusCard Component
Purpose: Answer "What do I need to do right now?"
Headless UI: Card
pattern with Button
variants
Smart Logic:
- Priority algorithm: Overdue > Due Today > Financial Action > Upcoming
- Contextual messaging based on time of day
- Single-tap deep-linking to action item
- Empty state with gentle encouragement
UniversalFAB Component
Purpose: Context-aware action launcher
Headless UI: Menu
with Transition
Interaction Pattern:
- Radial expansion on tap (iOS-style)
- Most-used action surfaces first based on usage patterns
- Haptic feedback on selection
- Auto-close on outside tap or scroll
ActivityFeed Component
Purpose: Transparent social proof of household activity Features:
- Virtualized scrolling for performance
- Smart grouping by time and person
- Contextual actions on tap (view details, react)
- Gentle animations for new items
3. Chores Management
ChoresList Component
Purpose: Visual task management with minimal cognitive load
Headless UI: Tabs
, Checkbox
, Listbox
Smart Categorization:
- Priority Tab: Overdue + Due Today (red indicators)
- Upcoming Tab: This week's assignments
- Available Tab: Up-for-grabs tasks with point values
- Archive Tab: Completed items with celebration animations
QuickChoreAdd Component
Purpose: Inline task creation without modal interruption Features:
- Autocomplete from common household tasks
- Smart assignment based on rotation patterns
- Default due dates based on task type
- One-tap recurrence setting
ChoreDetail Sheet
Purpose: Progressive disclosure for complex chore setup
Headless UI: Dialog
, Switch
, RadioGroup
Accordion Sections:
- Assignment Logic: Single/Multiple/Rotation/Open
- Scheduling: Smart presets + custom options
- Gamification: Points, streaks, rewards (opt-in)
- Context: Notes, location tags, supplies needed
4. Shopping Lists
ListDirectory Component
Purpose: Multiple list management with usage prioritization Features:
- Shopping list always pinned at top
- Custom lists with emoji icons and member visibility
- Recently used items surface in quick-add
- Smart suggestions based on purchase history
SmartShoppingList Component
Purpose: Collaborative shopping with conflict prevention
Headless UI: Checkbox
, Command
, Combobox
Anti-Conflict Features:
- "Claiming" items shows real-time to other users
- Purchase confirmation with receipt scanning
- Automatic expense creation prompt
- Undo actions with 10-second grace period
ListItemComposer Component
Purpose: Intelligent item addition with context awareness Features:
- Autocomplete from household purchase history
- Quantity and brand suggestions
- Store location tagging for shopping efficiency
- Voice input with speech-to-text
5. Expense Tracking & Splitting
ExpenseOverview Component
Purpose: Financial transparency and debt visualization
Headless UI: Tabs
, ProgressBar
pattern
Trust-Building Features:
- Net balance prominently displayed with color coding
- Transaction history with receipt thumbnails
- Debt graph showing money flow between members
- Settlement reminders with customizable frequency
ExpenseCreation Sheet
Purpose: Frictionless bill splitting with smart defaults
Headless UI: Dialog
, RadioGroup
, NumberInput
Smart Splitting Logic:
- Even split as default (covers 80% of cases)
- Receipt OCR for automatic amount extraction
- Category-based split suggestions (groceries, utilities)
- Per-person cost preview before confirmation
SettlementFlow Component
Purpose: Debt resolution with verification Features:
- Line-item breakdown of what's owed
- Multiple payment method tracking
- Confirmation workflow with dispute options
- Integration hints for Venmo/PayPal/etc.
6. Group Management
HouseholdSettings Component
Purpose: Group governance and member management
Headless UI: Switch
, Textarea
, AlertDialog
Governance Features:
- Member roles and permissions
- House rules collaborative editing
- Notification preferences with granular control
- Leave/remove workflows with settlement requirements
InviteManager Component
Purpose: Growing the household safely Features:
- Multiple invite methods (code, QR, link)
- Invite expiration and usage tracking
- New member onboarding delegation
- Member approval workflow for private households
State Management Architecture
Pinia Store Structure
useHouseholdStore
- Household metadata, members, settings
- Real-time membership updates
- Invite code generation and validation
useChoresStore
- Task creation, assignment, completion
- Rotation logic and fair assignment algorithms
- Point tracking and gamification state
useExpensesStore
- Expense creation and categorization
- Balance calculations and debt tracking
- Settlement history and dispute management
useListsStore
- Multi-list management (shopping, todo, custom)
- Real-time collaborative editing
- Purchase confirmation and expense integration
useActivityStore
- Cross-feature activity aggregation
- Notification generation and delivery
- Social proof and engagement metrics
Composables Strategy
useOptimisticUpdates
- Immediate UI updates with background sync
- Conflict resolution for simultaneous edits
- Rollback mechanisms for failed operations
useOfflineSync
- Operation queuing during network outages
- Smart retry logic with exponential backoff
- User notification of sync status
useFairness
- Chore rotation algorithms
- Expense splitting fairness metrics
- Workload balance visualization
UI/UX Implementation Guidelines
Design Token System
Colors:
- Primary: Warm, trustworthy blue (#3B82F6)
- Success: Celebration green (#10B981)
- Warning: Gentle orange (#F59E0B)
- Error: Non-aggressive red (#EF4444)
- Neutral: Sophisticated grays (#64748B family)
Typography:
- Headings: Inter/SF Pro (system preference)
- Body: System font stack for optimal performance
- Monospace: JetBrains Mono for codes/numbers
Spacing:
- Base unit: 4px
- Component spacing: 16px, 24px, 32px
- Section spacing: 48px, 64px
Motion:
- Micro-interactions: 150ms ease-out
- Page transitions: 300ms ease-in-out
- Loading states: Skeleton animations
Responsive Breakpoints
- Mobile-first: 320px base design
- Tablet: 768px with sidebar navigation
- Desktop: 1024px with multi-column layouts
- Large: 1280px with dashboard widgets
Accessibility Standards
- WCAG 2.1 AA compliance throughout
- Keyboard navigation for all interactive elements
- Screen reader optimization with proper ARIA labels
- High contrast mode support
- Reduced motion respect for vestibular disorders
Performance & Loading Strategies
Code Splitting Strategy
- Route-based splitting for main sections
- Component-level splitting for heavy features (receipt scanning, charts)
- Vendor bundle optimization for frequently used libraries
Data Loading Patterns
- Critical Path: Dashboard loads in <2 seconds
- Progressive Enhancement: Secondary features load in background
- Skeleton States: Immediate visual feedback while loading
- Optimistic Caching: Predict user actions and preload data
Offline Capabilities
- Service Worker: Cache shell and critical assets
- IndexedDB: Store user data and pending operations
- Background Sync: Queue operations for when connection returns
- Conflict Resolution: Merge strategies for simultaneous edits
Migration Strategy
Phase 1: Foundation (Weeks 1-2)
- Set up Vue 3 + Headless UI development environment
- Implement design token system and base components
- Create new state management architecture
- Build authentication and onboarding flows
Phase 2: Core Features (Weeks 3-6)
- Migrate dashboard with optimistic updates
- Rebuild chores system with smart defaults
- Implement new expense splitting logic
- Create collaborative lists functionality
Phase 3: Enhancement (Weeks 7-8)
- Add offline capabilities and sync
- Implement advanced features (gamification, disputes)
- Performance optimization and accessibility audit
- User testing and feedback integration
Phase 4: Polish (Weeks 9-10)
- Micro-interactions and animation polish
- Advanced analytics and insights features
- Documentation and handoff preparation
- Gradual rollout to existing users
Success Metrics
User Experience Metrics
- Time to First Action: <3 seconds from app open
- Onboarding Completion: >85% reach active use
- Daily Engagement: >60% of household members check in daily
- Task Completion Rate: >90% of assigned chores completed on time
Technical Performance Metrics
- First Contentful Paint: <1.5 seconds
- Largest Contentful Paint: <2.5 seconds
- Cumulative Layout Shift: <0.1
- First Input Delay: <100ms
Conflict Reduction Metrics
- Dispute Rate: <5% of expenses flagged for disputes
- Member Retention: >95% stay in household for 30+ days
- Positive Interactions: 80% of activity feed items are completions/additions
- Settlement Time: Average debt resolved within 7 days
Risk Mitigation
Technical Risks
- Data Migration: Comprehensive backup and rollback procedures
- Performance Regression: Continuous monitoring and optimization
- Browser Compatibility: Progressive enhancement for older browsers
- API Changes: Versioning strategy and deprecation handling
User Experience Risks
- Feature Parity: Ensure no critical functionality is lost
- Learning Curve: Extensive onboarding and help documentation
- Adoption Resistance: Gradual rollout with opt-in beta testing
- Accessibility Gaps: Third-party accessibility auditing
Business Risks
- User Churn: A/B testing for major changes
- Development Timeline: Agile sprints with regular stakeholder check-ins
- Resource Constraints: Prioritized feature development with MVP focus
- Market Changes: Flexible architecture for future pivots
This refactor will transform the household management app from a feature-heavy tool into a delightful, frictionless experience that households actually want to use together.