🔗 This article is an exact copy of the original text first published on Brunch. View original text on Brunch
This article is good to read as a continuation of Perspective on the Design System (1). Link
Intro
Hello, this is designer Lee Sang-hyo. It's already been a year and a half since I wrote the first article about design systems. In the meantime, through practice and education, I have thought more deeply about how everyone can work efficiently and in a good culture. Coincidentally, Notefolio suggested a good interview content, so I wrote a follow-up article in the form of a question and answer introducing the design system workshop. I hope that those who are curious about the experience of creating systems with other designers will enjoy reading this. This article and my design system Workshop Curriculum, it would be better to refer to . I hope this article will be helpful to everyone who wants to learn about the design system.
Q1. When did the concept of a design system emerge or start to take off?
A. The design system is a systematic copy-and-paste process. Therefore, I think the concept of a design system existed even in the days of UI design using Photoshop. However, these days, advanced design tools such as Figma and Framer have made it possible to create and manage such copy-and-paste in a much more systematic manner. I think it has been about 710 years since this started to be called a design system in the industry, and it has been about 34 years since it was seriously considered in Korean practice.
Q2. Why do we need a design system?
A. If you are a designer, you probably use Control C+V. Even if you are not aware of it, you are likely already experiencing it. However, the more systematically you design and work on the system, the easier it becomes to recycle the desired assets in the desired form. Being easy to recycle means being able to work more efficiently, and I think this is one of the shortcuts to becoming a better worker.
Q3. Is a design system meaningful in a situation where the designer is alone?
A. Rather, if you are alone, it has a much more immediate meaning. Even if you're not a designer, you all copy and paste, right? Just as the human body is made up of bones, organs, muscles, etc., service design is the same. From the large framework such as typography, color, and grid, to specific elements such as cards and modals, I can understand them hierarchically, making it easier for future workers, including myself, to understand the intent. Ultimately, it is a structure that is much easier to influence in terms of unity and efficiency in a situation where there are few designers. Of course, in situations where there are many designers using the system, the next level of consideration becomes necessary.
Q4. What do you think will be the biggest difference before and after taking the lecture?
A. Those who participate in the design system workshop will be organized into groups based on their experience and job duties. Each group will select a service to create a virtual design system, and over time, each group will change and use the design system. The design system is the most helpful to me, but I think it's important for designers who haven't created the system to be able to use it comfortably, and to have similar experience even if it's not an actual project. In a situation where there is only one designer, it may not be easy to receive feedback from other designers' perspectives. Through these similar experiences, you can think about what you need to work efficiently in an environment that is as similar to actual work as possible.
Q5. Why do we need to focus on learning the ‘design system’ rather than the UX part?
A. UX is fundamentally important for the success of a service. A design system is necessary to further expand already successful services. However, these two cannot be considered completely separate. If you rush to create a design system after the service is successful, you may miss the golden time to expand success. Because it will take a long time. Time is very important in business. If you try to do it later, the task may become unbearable. From the perspective of the company as a whole, it is a big loss. So, we need to know what system is suitable for the level of our service, and I think we can find hints through hierarchical exploration of common design elements and consideration of design collaboration.
Q6. I wonder if there is a trend these days for all product designers to learn the design system.
A. That may not necessarily be the case. For product designers, UX design is most important for product success. However, if you know specifically what you can utilize for optimal UX, you will be able to handle much more in the same work time, and more and more people are using design systems or creating their own.
Q7. Can having a design system-related project in the portfolio be a differentiating strength for the applicant? Is it a trend for companies to pay attention to applicants’ ‘design system capabilities’?
A. I think it varies from company to company and job to job. However, if you look at the JD (job description, job posting details), it seems that it is often included as preferential treatment. However, personally, when I act as an interviewer, what I focus on is not whether a ‘design system project’ was included, but rather what kind of practical experience they have had with design systems and what problems they have solved through it. In the hope that this class would be helpful in solving such problems, we included a curriculum in which students give feedback after using each other's systems. I hope that you will be able to take away as much as you work hard to experience it.
Q8. Who should take the Design System Workshop: beginners, juniors, or seniors in product design? Is it helpful to listen to it at all levels, regardless of age?
A. I think it will be the biggest help to juniors who work without a gunner. It will be an indirect experience that will allow me to gauge how other designers can use my work.
However, this class is conducted using Figma and FigJam. Design beginners and seniors may be curious about Figma's advanced features, latest updates, and practical use cases of components. If you want to fill this part, I recommend this lecture. (I do not recommend it to those who cannot handle figma at all)
Q9. Is it rare to have the opportunity to receive separate training in the design system at a school or company? If you want to learn, do you usually have to study on your own?
A. I think studying at work is not a one-way thing, but rather something that both employees and the company should strive to do together throughout their lives. Is the school a university? I'm cautious because I don't major in digital design, but I think the IT industry changes very quickly so my sensitivity may be different from that of practical work.
However, I think there are quite a few opportunities for learning. The concept of design systems seems to be quite widespread now. These days, a lot of information is available online, and I learn a lot of things through Figma's official YouTube channel, in-house studies, and through work. However, this information is scattered and it seems that the level or strategy of the required design system must vary depending on the service status, and it seems that a lot of effort is needed to be able to judge this. I am always thinking of better ways through various trials and errors.
Q10. How long would it take if an individual tried to learn the design system on his own, rather than through this workshop, which has a systematic curriculum?
A. I haven’t calculated that separately. The calculation itself seems difficult. I am not someone who learned the system through classes, but I have grown through practical work, YouTube, and personal trial and error, so I think my classes are not the only answer. However, I hope that working designers do not have to go through as much trial and error as I did. That's why I plan to use the various trials and errors I've gained, examples of systems that can be applied in practice, and feedback through the curriculum.
Q11. If a company wants to introduce a design system, can an individual product designer make a suggestion and introduce it? I am curious as to whether I can apply it alone and use it on my own, or whether I need confirmation for use by a team or company.
A. I think it depends on the level and culture of the company. When the team is small, you can create it quickly and use it on your own, but when creating a large service system, more considerations are needed. The more designers and developers there are, the more cases need to be considered, and the more time invested in considering the system, the more it costs the company. Every company wants to spend its costs efficiently. Since each company's situation is different, I cannot give a clear answer, but in order to persuade the majority and secure resources to be used for the system, I think it would be very helpful as a precedent to record the successful experiences of small attempts and use them as evidence.
Q12. If the design system is ultimately a tool for “work efficiency,” does how to build the design system ultimately depend on the individual designer’s capabilities? (ex. Designer A’s design system refers to tools and processes that focus on a, b, and c efficiency / Designer B’s design system refers to tools and processes that focus on d.e.f efficiency)
A. Let me give you a graphic design example. You can get a feel for each graphic designer’s own work style and drawing style, right? The category of drawing equally attractive visuals is the same, but it can be divided into subcategories of cute and stylish. In that context, the design system is similar. Even if the job is the same, the work style is bound to be different. I don't think that's very strange. However, a process of comparing how logical and structural one's method is and reaching a common agreement is necessary. Someone may have strengths in UI aesthetics, someone may have strengths in structuring work for development sync, and someone may specialize in understanding and disseminating the created system. I think there will be synergy if we can create a system by learning from each other.
Q13. I am curious whether the design system used by each designer and design team is very different.
A. Yes, this is very different (although similar) from company to company and from culture to culture. The point is that it is important to determine what level of system is currently needed for the situation or product I am facing, what scope I can utilize if there is already a well-implemented design system environment, and the ability to overturn, improve, or not use the existing system if necessary.
Q14. If the design system has different contents and quality depending on the designer who built the “design system” → Is it ultimately best to learn the design system from a “skilled designer, a designer who has used the design system a lot”?
A. This seems like a really difficult question to answer. Haha. If there is someone who has thought about it deeply, I think there are many benefits to beginners. Construction itself is important, but if the system you create isn't used, it's useless, right? I hope I can experience first-hand what kind of concerns are needed to use this well through similar practical experiences.
Q15. Once I learn the design system through this workshop, can I apply it to product design in different industries?
A. I think so. The concerns and experiences I had about the design system at my previous job are being actively used at my current job, and just because I am moving to a different domain doesn't mean I won't copy and paste. By 2023, Figma will become the dominant industry UX design tool, so I think it is an experience that will have a lot of potential to be utilized regardless of company or industry.
