📝 Articles
Design System contribution is f*king difficult — let’s change it
Ness discusses the challenges of contributing to design systems, particularly in centralized and hybrid team structures, emphasising the complexity and high standards that often discourage major contributions. They suggest simplifying the contribution process with a proposal template and integrating contributions more seamlessly into existing workflows, thereby lowering barriers and encouraging more active participation from product teams.
A Design System That Holds Your Hand
Beau underscores the significance of a design system in improving the employee experience, focusing especially on aiding new designers. The article outlines methods for comprehending and meeting the needs of key users like designers and developers, advocating for empathy-driven problem definition and solution creation that blend smoothly into their work processes, transforming the design system from a mere tool to a nurturing guide in everyday tasks.
Design Systems Pitfalls. Hold on tight
Jeff identifies common pitfalls in developing design systems, emphasising the need for balance and focus. Key challenges include taking on too much, overemphasising components, frequent tech changes, misaligning team skills, premature contributions, and matching product team speed, all of which can lead to burnout and undermine the system's effectiveness.
How to make the case for design systems
Patrick's article emphasises the importance of design systems in tech companies, highlighting their benefits for designers, engineers, and product managers. They advocates for tailored communication to each group, stressing that a well-implemented design system enhances creativity, efficiency, and product consistency.
Building Our Own Illustration System From the Ground Up at Mirakl
Justine describes the development of ROMA, an enhanced design system at Mirakl, which includes a unique illustration library to humanize their product and maintain user attention. The process involved extensive research and creativity to ensure the illustrations were inclusive, professional, and aligned with Mirakl's brand, ultimately enriching user experience and product identity.
👀 Interesting Reads
Shattering the design system: unleashing the creative revolution
Charlie explores the tension between the standardisation offered by Design Systems and the need for creative freedom in digital design. He advocates for viewing design systems as flexible tools that enable innovation, rather than rigid frameworks that limit creativity, encouraging designers to experiment and adapt these systems to foster a dynamic, evolving landscape of design.
5 Ways to Grow From Passion Project to Dedicated Design System
The article offers insights from Patrycja Radaczynska on balancing design system development with full-time work. Key strategies include integrating design system tasks into regular work, building a supportive community, effective communication, fostering cross-functional relationships for advocacy, and practicing patience for long-term success and growth of the design system.
🧰 Tools / Resources
Design Systems Process Cheatsheet
The folks at Knapsack have created this neat checklist / cheatsheet for your Design System using Figmas FigJam