Diagram Design vs Component Spec

Diagram Design

By Cathryn Lavery

Create polished, on-brand diagrams and charts, from flowcharts to org charts and journeys.

Component Spec

By JR Brugger (Design Workflow)

Write complete design system specs covering variants, states, accessibility, and usage.

Diagram Design

• Draws 45 diagram and chart types, from flowcharts to user journeys and 2x2 matrices
• Matches your brand by pulling colors and fonts from your website
• Redraws existing draw.io, Mermaid, or Excalidraw diagrams in a cleaner style
• Sizes diagrams for docs, slides, social posts, or print
• Exports to PNG or SVG when you ask

Component Spec

• Generates structured component specifications with anatomy breakdowns, variants, and props
• Documents all component states (hover, focus, disabled, loading, error) with clear descriptions
• Includes accessibility requirements like ARIA roles, keyboard navigation, and screen reader support
• Provides usage guidelines with do/don't examples and content rules
• Covers behavior details like interactions, animations, and responsive breakpoints

Reach for Diagram Design when…

• You need a quadrant of projects by impact versus effort for a planning meeting
• You want a customer journey map or service blueprint for a strategy deck
• You have an ugly flowchart and want it to look professional
• You want every diagram your team makes to match your brand

Reach for Component Spec when…

• You're building a design system and need to document components thoroughly
• Your team needs shared specs so designers and developers stay aligned
• You're onboarding someone and want clear component documentation to reference
• You need to ensure accessibility is baked into every component from the start