Tartu project is fictional design system project that I created for study purposes, focusing on the new features and functionalities of Figma (2023). The “project” is based on cvi.tartu.ee.
One of the challenges, I face daily, is the misuse of the buzzword term “Design System”, particularly by those selling design services and by those who are buying it.
What is a design system? I prefer to define:
- It is a collection of agreed guidelines and standards.
- It is a set of reusable components that people within a company can combine into interfaces and interactions.
- It becomes a shared language.
What design system is not?
- It isn’t a Project. It is a Product Serving Products.
- It doens’t fix your “bigger” problems.
- Important! You don’t need a design system for a single stand-alone website. It could be pattern library, basic style guide or UI Kit for developers.
Core research
Here are my starting points when researching component best practices:
- WCAG – Most organizations, companies aim to meet a WCAG 2.* AA standard, it means most users will be able to engage with your digital channel or a product.
- Online resources – Check a complete guide to accessible front-end components by Vitaly Friedman.
- Other design systems – Do a quick Component Gallery research or check Inclusive Components.
Page is currently “work in progress”