Design System blueprint
Let's be honest, this is the real reason you're here. You want to get a sense of my process as a designer. So instead of making you sift through all my case studies, I'll give it to you right here. I created by own blueprint that I follow to prioritize and execute design system work. Just keep scrolling!
Overview
Welcome to our comprehensive Design Systems Team Blueprint, where we bring together the foundational elements and the practical components of our design endeavors. This proposal melds the primary architectural building blocks with the tools, practices, and methods we employ, laying out a cohesive vision for our future projects. For the Design Systems team to perform at an optimal level there are 5 key pillars I want to align the team with. There will be at least 2 team members per area and every team member will have at least two areas that they own. The idea of these areas is to provide specific points of contact per area, and to empower the team members in these areas to not only execute the work, but to drive the strategy. Also, team members will flex to work across other areas depending on the work coming into the team. To ensure teams don’t become siloed, we will have regular meetings to cross-train team members, and everyone will have the chance to rotate to a new area every quarter. That rotation will be optional.
5 Key Pillars
Core Systems The Core Systems represent the essence and foundational pillars of our design system. These are not just elements; they are the base from which our entire design philosophy arises.
Components
This pillar delves into the research, design, and testing phases of both new and existing system components, ensuring that every design element is well-defined, user-centric, and optimized.
Design Tooling
Mastering the tools we use; this area is mainly committed to Figma. It bridges the gap between our core systems and the digital platform, ensuring designs transition seamlessly into Figma libraries while also steering the tool's strategic utilization. This area will also help us explore other tooling opportunities for the design system and gain knowledge of the AEM platform.
Education & Communication
Transparency, efficient communication, and comprehensive design system education are the mandates of this segment. It aims to ensure that every team member, from new recruits to seasoned designers, is in sync with our design ethos and practices.
Research & Documentation
A consistent and informed design approach necessitates well-curated documentation. This team champions the creation, maintenance, and updating of all our documentation, ensuring accessibility and clarity for every team member. By integrating the foundational Core Systems with the practical aspects of the other 4 pillars, we present a holistic vision for our design future. Together, these elements craft a roadmap that is both grounded in strong principles and agile in its application. Dive in and let us co-create a design future that is innovative, cohesive, and forward-looking.