The solution:
A new set of accessible Severity Indicator icons:
These indicators are crucial for helping users quickly assess the importance of information and prioritise their actions accordingly, ensuring that critical information is easily recognisable.

Three new design system guidance documents:
As part of this work I created new pattern guidance for 'communicating status' and also defined two new design system scales 'Severity' and 'Visual Loudness' to enhance clarity and usability.
The Severity Scale helps prioritise user attention and action by categorising elements into levels like "Critical" or "Information", ensuring urgent issues are highlighted effectively.
The Visual Loudness Scale treats UI as a conversation, varying emphasis from subtle (e.g. background details) to prominent (e.g. critical alerts) to guide focus without overwhelming users.
Together, these scales help us to create a more considered and user-friendly UI.