Design systems have become a popular topic of discussion lately. The consistency, efficiency, and organization they bring can help perpetuate the mission and feel that a product is trying to convey. The advancement of these systems has driven me to my own deep dive, to learn how they work and how this value is provided.
Bridging the Gap
An issue I often read about with design systems is the alignment between Design and Engineering. I’m sure someone could go on and on about where to point the fingers in this situation, but that won’t be me. …
Last week I worked on a base set of buttons in Figma with the intention of creating their counterparts as React Components, something I’ve never done before.
I have some programming experience but never worked with React before, so this week was spent working on the ‘Become a React Developer’ learning track on LinkedIn learning. While I don’t actually plan to become a full-fledged developer, it’ll be important to know how to talk shop when it comes to the code if I want to work in Design Systems.
I didn’t get to create my own React Components this week, however…
In my previous article, I wrote about the plans for my upcoming design project: Squilp System. In order to expand my skills in both a technical and design direction, I want to create an open-sourced design system built on technology similar to that of an enterprise one.
Each week, I plan to give a short update on my work. It’s a good way to keep myself accountable and I hope that others can join the conversation.
Component Structure
Before I get into the technical pieces I discussed, I first need to create a base set of components to build out later.
To…
tl;dr: Building my own design system. Check out my work in progress on Github and Figma!
Over the course of the last two weeks, I’ve bounced between 4 or 5 different projects to add to my portfolio. I enjoy exploring the many different sides of Design Systems, however, there are so many moving parts, that I find myself trapped in the rabbit hole each time I discover something new.
After doing some reflection on my previous project attempts, I recognize that one of my issues is in trying to go too big. I needed to start smaller. Similarly, my failures…
Create customizable controller navigable menus in a pinch with these Interaction templates for Figma!
Don’t have time to read the whole article? Check out my Controller Prototyping Templates here: https://www.figma.com/community/file/973739479806359976/Controller-Prototyping-Template
In my previous article, I explored gamepad/controller menu prototyping using Figma’s new Interactive Component feature. A product of that time spent was a template for gamepad menus. After releasing the article, some fellow Figma users reached out asking for the templates, so I decided to clean them up and write a short post on how to use them.
Auto Layout Woes
You may skip this section if you’re not a giant Figma nerd.
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Interactive Components for Figma are here! How can we apply it to gamepad menu prototyping?
Don’t have time to read the whole article? Check out my final prototype here: https://stillxp.gg/prototypes/injustice
If you happen to work like me, then you can understand the trouble of being easily sidetracked when working with new tools. Learning their basics can spiral endlessly into a rabbit hole of plugins, tutorials, and YouTube videos. For that reason, I prefer to keep my work all in one place, and Figma has become my go-to.
