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You can't create a design system in a week... TL;DR: "Don’t put crap in the design system." - Josh Clark (from Brad Frost's article 'don’t put crap in the design system') I've been seeing a lot of posts claiming to have the ultimate answer or plugins that can churn out a design system in 10 minutes. Let's be real — this is nonsense. Most of these claims confuse a true design system with just component libraries in Figma. A true design system is much more than a set of components. It is about a consistent approach, standards and guidelines that ensure the coherence of your entire project. This includes standardized UI solutions, accessibility and spelling guidelines, as well as patterns, such as which notification or error status should be used in which situation, and much more. It is also deeply connected to your codebase to ensure that design and development work hand in hand. Automated tools often throw in a bunch of unnecessary stuff you'll never use. Worse, if you redesign, you're stuck carrying this junk along with you. Brad Frost's article 'don’t put crap in the design system' (https://lnkd.in/dphVdU9k) dives deeper into this issue. Don't fall for quick fixes. Building a solid design system takes time, thought, and effort - and, most likely, research. #DesignSystems #Architecture #Process #Workflow #Recipes #UX #UserExperience

A Design System serves as a lifesaver, offering a distinct perspective for the members of a product team when approaching design. It acts as a point of reference to ensure consistent agreement and alignment among all those involved in the product's development. Hitesh Puri, Technical Architect - Digital Applications Tech Ops, discusses how Design System is a source of reference to make sure that everyone who works on their product is always on the same page, consistent, and in agreement with the way things should be. Read more. https://lnkd.in/gUyth7wk #makingdigitalhappen #digitaltransformation #designsystem

Balancing functionality with user-friendly design can be a challenge for developers, who strive to create intuitive interfaces and workflows while also meeting technical requirements and constraints. It's a delicate balance that can make or break the success of a project. How do you strike the perfect balance between form and function in your development work? Share your tips and tricks in the comments! #development #design #userexperience

Why would we write functional specifications to express a vision? 💡 In 2021, when we started working on WeTransform, we didn't write a single line of code for several months. We didn't write any long functional specifications in boring documentation either. We wrote wireframes. A wireframe is a visual representation of a user interface. It allows anyone to understand the structure of the page, the information that will be displayed, and the actions that can be performed. It quickly shows whether the user interface is intuitive, and whether the user experience is satisfying. - if there is too much text, the wireframe looks cluttered, and we know that good features don't need much explanation. - if there are too many buttons, the wireframe relations are complex, and we know the features won't be understood nor used. - if too many wireframes are required for a feature, we know that we need to challenge the way it works. Wireframes helped us to quickly iterate on the product at a cheap cost, sharing a clear vision with the team, and getting feedback from future users. Now, if you need to specify a complex feature or even a product, keep in mind that an image is worth a thousand words!

Sustainable design isn’t just a trend... It’s a comprehensive approach that benefits both the environment and the customer. 🪴 In my first longer video, I break down practical examples you can take today to make your software product more sustainable without overhauling your whole interface. Or having to raise another funding round! 😅 I share insights on optimizing data, reusing design elements, and much more! This is a must-watch if you’re interested in making a positive impact with your software. 🧑💻 Get ready to make your software more eco-friendly! Watch the 9-minute intro below! What experiences have you found that match these sustainable practices? 🤔 #uidesign #sustainability #accessibility #uxdesign #design #humancentereddesign

Benefits of Design System: - Design System can reduce the interpretation problems. - Single Source of truth for Developers and Designers. - Consistency, and uniformity of Design across different platforms or Apps. - Building Blocks of your Product that are available on demand. Outputs of Design System: - Clear, up-to-date documentation, guidelines, rules, and styles that are easy to understand. - Documented reasoning about why decisions were made. - Tools and processes that help you implement the system on a daily basis. #designsystem #design #system #figma #figmadesign #figmacommunity #uiux #uidesign #uxdesign #benefits #output #interpretation #developers #consistency #blocks #productdesign

The core job of a product designer can be categorized into five layers. Each layer builds on top of the last until you have a complete product. - Strategy: What real-world problem needs to be solved? Who is affected by this problem? What are their goals? What are the goals of your business? - Scope: What product will you create to solve this problem? - Structure: How does a user interact with this product? What is the information architecture? - Skeleton: How is the information in your product presented and arranged? How does the user navigate between parts of the product? - Surface: What will your product look and feel like to users? Designers collaborate with their team to answer these questions in order. Before you can figure out what product you will create, you need to know the needs that it addresses. Before you decide how your interface is presented and arranged, you need to know how the features work and how the content should flow. Notice that the visual look and feel aren’t considered until the final layer. A good product is so much more than what you see. A good product solves a real problem; it is structured thoughtfully; and it is laid out in a way that is intuitive and helps the user accomplish their goal. Just because something looks good doesn’t mean it is a good product. As a former teacher put it: pretty shit is still shit 💩. #ProductDesign #UXDesign #Innovation #Tech #Software

If all interfaces are starting to look the same, that’s because the design tools are working as designed.

Once crap is introduced to the design system, it can be really difficult to get it out. The best way to avoid this situation is to not put crap in the design system in the first place! In this post, we talk about how to think about and architect crap-free design systems: https://lnkd.in/epK_X95r #designsystems #ui #ux #design

If all interfaces are starting to look the same, the design tools are working as designed. Interface design needs to scale because businesses need to scale: companies will push for the predictability and safety that come from a radically commoditized design.