ARTICLE SUMMARY: It does not matter what industry you start out in, it’s never easy, there’s aways a lot to learn in a short amount time.
One of the first things a new UX designer should learn is how to create a system. While creating a system takes time, the time, energy and money saved overall makes it worth it. Some of the benefits of a system include not having to reinvent components that are used over and over. Having standardized rules for typography, colors, and spacing reduce repetitive design debates and approval cycles. That’s just the start.
Niamh O’Shea’s “Design Systems for Beginners: Start With These 5 Elements” is an effort to help the beginning designer understand the core building blocks of a design system and apply them with confidence in real projects. Some of the items discussed are:
- Typography: The Voice of Your Interface
- Spacing System: Invisible, Yet Foundational
- Components: The Building Blocks of Reusability
One of the benefits of a design system is it gives you the consistency you need as the project increases in size, also, without a system there is a high probability of collaboration breakdowns caused by different team members interpreting brand guidelines in conflicting ways—a big must to avoid.
Niamh concludes his article by telling designers, “Design systems can be intimidating. They don’t have to be, though. Starting with these five components gives you a strong base on which to build.”
This article is well worth reading, especially by designers just starting out. Let us know what you think in the comments.
