Developing Design Systems: Patterns, Prototypes, and People

You've heard the talk about how we should be designing systems not pages, and how taking a modular, component driven approach to design is key. All true, but developing design systems is hard, messy work. Too often scalability and modularity become afterthoughts in the design proces ”evidenced as pages featuring combinations of almost, but not quite, identical components are passed on to the front end designer to sort out. But scalable, component-based design is not just a single person's responsibility. To get everyone onboard we need to bake system-thinking into the entire design process. In this talk we'll dissect what constitutes a design system, and look at different prototyping techniques that can be used to prepare, present, and bullet-proof one. We'll also tackle challenges like: how to remain creative and ideate when taking a modular approach to design, how to define and document system rules, and how to stay organized. Front-end engineer and experience designer alike, you should come away from this session with a fresh take on patterns and prototyping, along with practical examples for how they can supercharge team collaboration.

Transcript

1. Developing
 Design Systems 
 Dennis Kardys @dkardys #FiLive 
 PATTERNS, PROTOTYPES, AND PEOPLE
2. CC license: @matt_j https://flic.kr/p/fksgQJ
3. the patterns in an environment shape patterns of behavior
 [a horrible story about birds]
4. “designing systems of components… -Stephen Hay

5. “stitching atoms, molecules, and organisms together to form templates and pages. -Brad Frost 

6. “bootstrap style systems for every client… -Dave Rupert

7. a modular set of guidelines and components to improve
 consistency, efficiency, sustainability
13. Design Systems taking first steps
14. 1. interface inventory
19. 2. organize your code.
22. CSS, Sass, SCSS, Compass, Less, BEM, SMACSS, OOCSS, ACSS, CCSS, etc… Front End Frameworks and Preprocessors (Do Not Repeat Yourself—so, whatever works for you!)
23. 3. create useful documentation.
27. image courtesy Dean Hochman: https://flic.kr/p/nXSUzA
28. design shangri-la our innermost desires projected
29. or glamorized reference docs?
30. should not be static should not be incomplete can’t be a developer’s problem x x x
31. what does it mean to build a living design system?
33. Understanding Systems A set of interacting or interdependent components forming an integrated whole.
34. delineated by boundaries, surrounded and influenced by its environment, described by its structure and purpose, expressed in its functioning.
35. http://blog.noupsi.de/post/44607342301/open-judge
36. image courtesy Richard Hefner: https://flic.kr/p/quWY6H you can’t design interconnectivity when you are inside a silo
37. What are your system boundaries?
38. page to page viewport to viewport across platforms across channels
39. patterns are language. many expressions out of simple rules and structures.
40. each patterns we design foster patterns of behavior element + environment + experience
41. to the design/development/authoring teams: we need to generate behaviors, not specify behaviors.
42. Creating Rules photo CC license: @wanderlass https://flic.kr/p/97VZ2t
43. 1. avoid colliding with its immediate neighbors 2. be generally attracted to others of its kind 3. move in the same direction as the rest of the group. Flocking Logic
44. Each simply coordinates its movements with those of its neighbors. The 1 Simple Rule
45. “the chorus line hypothesis”
46. Look left. Look right.
47. the ultimate team skill is the ability to choreograph actions at a variety of scale. CC image: @melfoody - https://flic.kr/p/ea5DSh
48. systems require rules.
 with the right laws in place, order (rather than disorder) will increase over time.
49. imagine no rules. freedom vs. flexibility
50. “we want drag and drop.”
53. systems require rules.
54. prescriptive specifying what you should do proscriptive identifying only what you should not.
55. system rules what the system permits and restricts you from doing.
56. editorial/design rules guidelines for how you should use different elements.
57. principles the rules the capture the system’s intent and purpose.
59. Weave it all together. how will you design without seams?
60. Ideation Modeling Mapping Refining
61. Ideation
62. ideation coming up with ideas iteration refining ideas
63. Design Charrettes
64. 1. Work with a blended group. 2. Generate the maximum number of ideas. 3. Alternate between solo and group ideation. 4. Surface conflict and build consenus. 5. Inspire DESIGN CHARRETTES
65. Centerpoint
 the core patterns and behaviors that define your system.
66. Inspiration Documents
67. 1. A tool to provoke conversation. 2. Use it to answer YOUR questions. 3. Describe rationale not “design options”. VISUAL INSPIRATION
68. Sketching
69. 1. Show multiple sketches. 2. Make each sketch unique in concept. 3. Discuss viability of concept and direction. 4. Never let your stakeholder hold on to them. 5. Avoid iteration. SKETCHING (for presentations)
70. modeling
 (shaping the elements)
71. Element Collages / Style Tiles
72. Element Collages / Style Tiles
73. Element Collages / Style Tiles
74. Paper Prototypes
75. Structured Content
76. Content Patterns (templates)
77. layout (pages)
78. Navigational Patterns & Flows
79. mapping
 (find the points of intersection)
81. structured content objects feed the data model
82. data model helps define patterns and components
83. styleguide
84. code content design image CC Nate Weigl https://flic.kr/p/7R8RqM
85. refining and iterating
88. • purpose • intended behavior • examples of states • system or editorial rules • use cases • data source • performance requirements Documenting Patterns
89. stress testing too much content. too little content. poorly formatted image.
91. the story of Coyote and the Frybread.
92. http://www.flickr.com/photos/thaths/6200904390/
93. http://blog.noupsi.de/post/44607342301/open-judge
94. image courtesy Richard Hefner: https://flic.kr/p/quWY6H
95. How can you extend your influence beyond your sphere?
96. Thanks! Dennis Kardys @dkardys #filive