Member-only story
Applying my life principles to my design process
How my new outlook to life can be incorporated into my professional domain
I’ve been fortunate to work on and produce several design libraries or design systems in my career to date. Each new system is an evolution of a previous, incorporating growing experience, trends and new business requirements. Common themes run throughout each system. All encompass common user interface elements, such as buttons, input fields and so on, and they all communicate design principles. They all adhere to business brand guidance and they include reference to an underlying grid system.
With all design systems, I’ve communicated a design approach inspired by the findings from the Nielsen Norman Group. The NN Group have identified user interface principles that are key to delivering an accessible, easy to use and efficient interface. These principles include, but are not limited to, discoverability, robustness, clarity, consistency and responsiveness. Although qualitative, they’re practical. They’re “hands-on” principles that are in the mind of the designer at the point of component and design implementation. Design implementation meaning both mock-up and high-fidelity design aesthetic.
Until recently, my approach to design systems (as briefly described above) has been a successful…
