UI methodologies like Atomic Design bring logic and structure to individual screens. Now it’s time to extend that thinking to every aspect of your product.
- 50 years ago graphic designers figured out that it’s a good idea to come up with some shared underlying rules when designing a bunch of related things.
- Digital product designers realized this is also a good way to make sure your buttons always look the same. “Design Systems” emerged as a useful way to build consistent UIs.
- But most Design Systems are really just Pattern Libraries: a big box of UI Lego pieces that can be assembled in near-infinite ways. All the pieces may be consistent, but that doesn’t mean the assembled results will be.
- Your product is more than just a pile of reusable UI elements. It has structure and meaning. It’s not a generic web page, it’s the embodiment of a system of concepts.
- By embodying product concepts in Design Systems designers can go beyond consistent UIs towards creating consistent products.
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