When starting a design system, using existing tools to build a library is a practical and efficient approach. A design system is a collection of reusable components, guidelines, and assets that help maintain consistency and coherence in the design and development of products or services. By leveraging existing tools, you can save time, ensure consistency, and collaborate effectively with other team members. Here are some key points to consider:
- Design Software: Utilize popular design software like Sketch, Figma, or InVision Studio to create the design components for your library. These tools offer features like symbols, libraries, and shared styles, which enable you to maintain consistency across your designs and facilitate collaboration among designers.
- Component Libraries: Most design software allows you to create libraries of reusable components. As you design various elements like buttons, icons, cards, etc., save them as components in the library. This way, you can easily reuse them in different projects and ensure consistency in design.
- Version Control: Consider using version control systems like Git to manage changes in your design system. This will enable you to track modifications, collaborate with other designers, and revert to previous versions if needed.
- Design Tokens: Design tokens are abstracted design properties like colors, typography, spacing, etc., represented as variables. Creating a design token system allows you to centralize these values, making it easier to maintain consistency across the design system and sync changes across projects.
- Design System Software: There are dedicated design system tools available that help you manage and document your design system efficiently. Tools like Storybook, Zeroheight, or Zeplin are examples of platforms that help you organize, showcase, and communicate your design system to the development team.
- Developer Collaboration: Ensure that your design system integrates well with the development workflow. Collaborate closely with developers and provide them with the necessary assets, code snippets, and guidelines. This will help bridge the gap between design and development, leading to a more efficient product development process.
- Documentation: Comprehensive documentation is essential for a successful design system. Clearly explain how to use each component, the underlying principles, and any best practices. Tools like Notion, Airtable, or Confluence can be used to create and manage the documentation.
- Accessibility and Testing: While building the library, keep accessibility in mind. Test the components to ensure they meet accessibility standards. Consider using tools like Lighthouse or Axe to perform automated accessibility testing.
Remember, building a design system is an iterative process. Start with the most crucial components and gradually expand the library based on the needs of your projects and the feedback from your team. Revisit and update the design system regularly to keep it relevant and effective.
✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢✢
Comment below to share your thoughts. 🙂
Learn more about design systems
I’m a designer with 20 years of experience in web, eLearning and visual design. Follow me:
