7 Best Practices for building a Design System

  • Do the UI inventory first.
  • Discover top 10 components to address, and stick to those.
  • Make type clear and accessible. 
  • Use color, illustration and shape for creative expression.
  • Check typefaces and all UI elements on non retina and retina devices.
  • Checkout Salesforce lightning framework for inspiration.
  • Design systems are principally for for the agency’s internal design and engineering teams’ organization for design consistency. Your client cares more about the page mockups and how those modules look together for important pages in the funnel.
,

Design is a Job

,

Here are a few anecdotes from an amazing book I picked up called, Design is a Job (Dan Brown). It's a concise, and powerful jolt of wisdom and philosophy that's relevant to any designer working today. Get the book here.

Some key points: 

  • While working constantly ask yourself ‘why am i doing this and who benefits’. 
  • Don’t work in a bubble for too long:
  • No tasks longer than 2 weeks
  • Pull in other team members to validate your progress direction.
  • Instead of 1, 12 week project, go for 12, 1 week projects when estimating/scoping projects.
  • Prioritize lists visually and keep it concise or you'll lose motivation.
  • Make more small choices/decisions, its easier when you're wrong.
  • Don't copy competitors. Establish your value props against them. 
  • Be proud about providing less, especially if you’re a small business. It can be easier and more quality focused.
  • Build an audience by teaching them stuff! Be Informative and educational over promotional. It will create more loyalty.
  • Be genuine in all you do. Imperfections can foster real connection.
  • Writing is today's currency for good ideas. Hire the person who can write better (no matter what job it is).
  • Don't try to hide or spin bad news to your customers—the truth will eventually surface anyway.
  • If you Apologize, accept responsibility, explain your actions to prevent it occurring next time. Think how you'd feel if you were given 'that' apology.
  • Get back to people quickly. Answer personally.
  • "Culture is the byproduct of consistent behavior." Don’t force culture.
  • If you're small company don't be afraid to sound 'small' in your tone of voice.
  • Write to be read. Keep personality.
  • Save emergency language for real emergencies!

Get the book here.