Design Systems
Build cohesive design languages that scale across products and teams
Reference Books
Topics in this collection are synthesized from these 3 books.
Chapters
Foundations
What design systems are, why they matter, and what makes them work
What Is a Design System, Benefits of Design Systems, What Makes Design Systems Effective
Design Principles
Shared guidelines that distribute creative direction across the team
What Are Design Principles, Qualities of Effective Principles, Creating Design Principles
Functional Patterns
Defining patterns by what users can do, not what they look like
What Are Functional Patterns, Defining Pattern Structure, Pattern Variations and Visual Hierarchy
Perceptual Patterns
The aesthetic elements that give a product its character
What Are Perceptual Patterns, Building a Visual Language
Shared Language
A common vocabulary that lets design and engineering communicate precisely
Naming Conventions, Building a Pattern Language
Parameters of Your System
Defining scope and building organizational support
Defining System Parameters, Getting Buy-In
Planning and Practicalities
Prioritizing work and establishing governance for long-term sustainability
Prioritizing System Work, System Governance
Pattern Libraries
Building documentation and tooling that makes your system usable at scale
Pattern Library Structure, Writing Effective Documentation