Design techniques are on the tip of each designer’s tongue, however the narrative within the business primarily focuses on why you want a design system and its significance quite than the fact of countless upkeep and inside politics. The reality is that design groups spend years creating these techniques solely to search out out that few folks adhere to the rules or keep throughout the “guardrails.”
I’ve been lucky with Figma to host and run workshops at varied conferences throughout Europe that middle on one very particular facet of product design: elements.
I like elements! They’re the beginning, the tip, the hair-tearing-out center, the “constructing blocks,” and the inspiration — the every part inside each nice product design group.
The explanation they’re so essential to me is as a result of, firstly, who doesn’t like effectivity? Second, and extra importantly, they’re confirmed to extend the time-to-delivery from design to engineering, and right here comes a buzzword — they provide a path to return on funding (ROI) inside design groups. That is changing into more and more essential in a tricky hiring market. So what’s to not love?
Observe: You could be desirous about watching Matt Gottschalk’s speak from Figma’s Config 2023 convention, which was devoted to the subject of ROI inside small design groups. The speak explored how small design groups can use design techniques and design operations to assist designers have the proper setting for them to ship higher, extra impactful outcomes.
Like in most issues, an answer to that is training and communication. In case you aren’t snug with modifications on kinds, it’s possible you’ll need to arrange your elements in such a manner as to point this. For instance, utilizing emojis in layers is the quickest strategy to say, “Hey, please don’t edit this!” or “You may edit this!”.
Or, think about delivery out elements which might be named for intention. Would separating elements solely (elements named for intention) work higher? An Enter/Error, quite than a customizable Enter?
When contemplating the emoji title method, right here’s a set that I’ve relied on prior to now:
Parts
🚨 Deprecated
🟠 Not prepared
Part cases
🔐️ Not editable
✍️ Overwritten title
Layers
✍️ Editable
🚨 Essential
Part properties
◈ Kind
✍️ Edit textual content
🔁️ Swap occasion
🔘 Toggle
←️ Left
→️ Proper
🖱 Interplay
📈 Information
↔️ Dimension
Versatile: Responsive Design
Ahh, our outdated pal, responsive design (RWD)!
“The management which designers know within the print medium, and sometimes need within the net medium, is solely a perform of the limitation of the printed web page. We should always embrace the truth that the online doesn’t have the identical constraints and design for this flexibility. However first, we should settle for the ebb and circulate of issues.”
— John Allsopp, “A Dao of Internet Design”
Because it stands, there isn’t a native resolution inside Figma to create totally responsive elements. What I imply by “totally responsive” is that format instructions and contents change in line with their breakpoint.
Right here’s an instance:
Observe: It’s technically attainable to attain this instance now with auto format wrapping and min/max widths in your parts, however this doesn’t imply which you can construct totally responsive elements. As an alternative, you’ll possible find yourself in a magic numbers soup with a prolonged record of variables in your min and max widths!
With this limitation in thoughts, we could need to rethink targets round responsive design inside our element libraries. This may occasionally take the type of adapting their construction by introducing… extra elements! Do we wish to have the ability to ship one element that modifications from cellular all the best way as much as the desktop, or wouldn’t it be simpler to make use of, discover, and customise separate elements for every distinct breakpoint?
“Regardless of the enjoyable sounding title, magic numbers are a foul factor. It’s an old-fashioned time period for ‘unnamed numerical fixed,’ as in, just a few numbers put into the code which might be most likely very important to issues working accurately however are very tough for anybody not intimately conversant in the code to grasp what they’re for. Magic numbers in CSS consult with values which ‘work’ below some circumstances however are frail and susceptible to interrupt when these circumstances change.”
— Chris Coyier, “Magic Numbers in CSS”
By no means be hesitant to create extra elements if there’s a probability that adoption will improve.
Then, what does this appear like inside Figma? We’ve got a number of choices, however first, we have to ask ourselves a number of questions:
Does the crew design for varied display sizes/dimensions? E.g., cellular and desktop net.
Does the event crew construct for a selected platform/display measurement(s)? E.g., an iOS crew.
Do you construct apps aligning with native type guides? E.g., Materials Design.
The solutions to those questions will assist us decide how we should always construction our elements and, extra importantly, what our library constructions will appear like.
If the reply to questions 1. (Design for varied display sizes/dimensions?) and 2. (construct for a selected platform/display sizes?) is “No,” and to 3. (Construct apps aligning with native type guides?) is “Sure,” to me, which means we should always break up out elements into separate element library information. We don’t need to enter right into a world the place an iOS element is by chance added to an online design and pushed to manufacturing! This turns into more and more widespread if we share element naming conventions throughout completely different platforms.
If the reply to query 3. (“Will we construct native apps, utilizing their design tips?”) is “Sure,” this undoubtedly requires a separate element library for the platform-specific kinds or elements. You could need to examine an possibility the place you will have a world set of kinds and elements used on each platform after which a extra localized set for when designing in your native platforms.
The instance under, with an instance mapping of library information for an iOS design undertaking, is impressed by my Figma group file (“Easy design system construction”), which I created that will help you arrange your design system extra simply throughout completely different platforms.
→ Get “Easy design system construction” [FigJam file / Luis Ouriach, CC-BY license]
If you’re designing throughout a number of platforms in a device-agnostic method, you possibly can deliver elements loads nearer collectively! In case you aren’t at the moment working with an agnostic codebase, it is likely to be value checking Mitosis (“Write elements as soon as, run all over the place”).
A typical problem amongst growth groups is utilizing the identical language; whereas one sub-team could also be utilizing Vue, one other maybe is utilizing React, inflicting redundant work and forcing you to create shared elements twice. In “Create reusable elements with Mitosis and Builder.io,” Alex Merced explores intimately Mitosis, a free software developed below the MIT license. Mitosis can compile code to straightforward JavaScript code along with frameworks and libraries resembling Angular, React, and Vue, permitting you to create reusable elements with extra ease and velocity.
Utilizing A Variant
This may occasionally appear like a variant set, with a selected property for gadget/measurement/platform added. For instance,
As you possibly can think about, as these elements improve in complexity (with completely different states added, for instance), this may turn out to be unwieldy. Combining them into the identical variant is helpful for a smaller system, however throughout bigger groups, I’d advocate splitting them up.
Utilizing Sections
You possibly can think about grouping your elements into completely different sections for every platform/gadget breakpoint. The method could be the next:
Use pages inside Figma libraries to arrange elements.
Inside the pages, group every breakpoint into a piece. That is titled by the breakpoint.
Identify the element by its semantic, discoverable title.
There’s a caveat right here! I’m positive you’re questioning: “However couldn’t variables deal with these breakpoints, eradicating the necessity for various elements?” The reply, as at all times, is that it’s all the way down to your particular implementation and adoption of the system.
In case your designer and developer colleagues are snug working throughout the variable workflow, you might be able to consolidate them! If not, we could also be higher served with many elements.
Moreover, the split-component method permits you to deal with elements in a structurally completely different method throughout these completely different sizes — one thing that’s not at the moment attainable with variants.
Auto Structure
No matter how we set up the elements, responsiveness may be pushed very far with the usage of auto format at each degree of our screens. Though it may be intimidating at first, the auto format makes elements work equally to how they might be structured in HTML and CSS, transferring design and engineering groups nearer collectively.
Let’s take a easy instance: a generic enter discipline. In your primary element, you’re more likely to have a textual content label inside it with the textual content, e.g., “Label.” Generics are helpful! It implies that we are able to swap this content material to be particular to our wants at an occasion degree.
Now, let’s say you insert this element into your design and swap that “Label” content material for a label that reads “E mail tackle.” That is our override; to date, so good.
Nevertheless, for those who then determine to alter your primary element structurally, you place that label prone to dropping its overrides. For example of a structural change, your unique “Placeholder” now turns into a “Label” above the enter discipline. Instinctively, this will likely imply creating a brand new textual content aspect for the label. However! Do you have to do that, you’re dropping the mapping between your unique textual content aspect and the brand new one.
This might probably break your current signed-off designs. Despite the fact that this looks like it may work — layer names are a good way to protect overrides — they’re separate parts, and Figma gained’t know the right way to switch that override to the brand new aspect.
At this level, introducing element properties can save us from this hassle. I’d advocate including a textual content element property to your whole textual content layers to be able to attempt to stop any lack of knowledge throughout the design information wherein we’re utilizing the element.
As I confirmed earlier than, I discover including a writing emoji (✍️) to the property title is a pleasant strategy to hold our element properties panel as scannable as attainable.
Content material Specificity
A choice then must be made about how particular the default content material is throughout the element.
And that is the place we should always ask ourselves a query: do we have to change this content material steadily? If the reply is sure, abstracting particular textual values from elements implies that they are often interpreted extra extensively. It’s a bit of little bit of reverse psychology, however a textual content layer studying “[placeholder]” would immediate a designer to alter it to their native use case.
If the reply is no, we are going to bake the fastened worth we wish into the element. Going again to our enter discipline instance, we would set the default label worth to be “E mail tackle” as an alternative of “placeholder.” Or, we may create a wholly new e-mail tackle element! (It is a name we’d have to make based mostly on anticipated/recorded utilization of the element.)
Imagery / Media
When establishing a content material system inside Figma, a number of completely different questions instantly pop up:
How do you utilize particular media for particular elements?
How do you repair facet ratios for media?
Inside Figma, a picture is actually a fill inside a form quite than its personal content material sort, and this impacts how we handle that media. There are two methods to do that:
Utilizing kinds.
Utilizing element units (variants).
Earlier than we have a look at kinds and elements, although, let’s check out the format that every one property inside Figma may take.
Virtually, I’d advise establishing your media property as their personal library inside Figma, probably even establishing a number of libraries for those who work throughout varied merchandise/manufacturers with completely different approaches to media.
For instance, the imagery your product crew makes use of inside design information and advertising supplies is more likely to be very completely different, so we might look to set these up as completely different Figma libraries. A designer utilizing these property would toggle “on” the library they should create an asset for a selected intention, protecting the proper media in the proper place.
As a result of this media is identical as some other type or element inside Figma, we are able to use slash naming conventions to group varieties of media throughout the names.
Area examples:
Firm web site,
Product,
Advertising,
Sub model/s.
Media sorts:
Brand,
Icon,
Illustration,
Picture,
Video.
Instance names, utilizing the format:
Figma.com/Brand/Figma,
Figma.com/Icon/Variable,
Figma.com/Illustration/Parts,
Figma.com/Picture/Workplace,
Designsystems.com/Brand/Stripe,
Designsystems.com/Icon/Hamburger,
Designsystems.com/Illustration/Orbs,
Designsystems.com/Picture/Modular grid.
These are break up into:
Library: Figma.com or Designsystems.com,
Media sort: Illustration or Brand,
Media title: e.g., Part libraries, Iconography.
Though I’m utilizing photos for the examples right here, it really works with video property, too! This implies we are able to transfer within the course of successfully utilizing Figma like a mini DAM (digital asset supervisor) and iterate quick on designs utilizing brand-approved media property, quite than counting on dummy content material.
“A digital asset administration resolution is a software program resolution that gives a scientific method to effectively storing, organizing, managing, retrieving, and distributing a corporation’s digital property. DAM performance helps many organizations create a centralized place the place they will entry their media property.”
— IBM, “What’s digital asset administration?”
Utilizing Fill Kinds
Fill kinds aren’t only for shade! We will use them for photos, movies, and even illustrations if we need to. It’s value taking into consideration that due to the versatile nature of fills, it’s possible you’ll need to think about working inside fastened sizes or facet ratios to make sure cropping is saved to a minimal.
Figma’s redline “snapping” characteristic lets us know when the unique asset’s facet ratio is being revered as we resize. It’s a reasonably cool trick!
You will get the above instance from Figma’s group:
→ “Fastened facet ratio photos with variants” [Figma file / Luis Ouriach, CC-BY license]
For this world, although, I’d advise in opposition to making an attempt to hack Figma into establishing totally responsive photos. As an alternative, I’d advocate working with a predefined fastened set of sizes in a element set. This may occasionally sound like a limitation, however I strongly consider that the extra time we spend inside Figma, the additional we get from the manufacturing setting. “Can we check this within the precise product?” is a query we needs to be asking ourselves steadily.
Virtually, this appears to be like like making a element set the place we set the fastened sizes alongside one dimension and the facet ratio alongside the opposite. Making a matrix like this implies we are able to use the Part Properties panel to toggle between sizes and facet ratios, preserving the media contained in the element.
This can be utilized in tandem with a separate set of elements particularly for photos. If we mix this with Figma’s “nested cases” characteristic inside variant elements, we are able to “floor” all the popular photos from our element set inside each occasion on the facet ratios wanted!
Association
That is the toughest factor to foretell after we suppose via the usability of customizable elements. The only instance right here is our outdated enemy: the shape. Instinctively, we could create an entire kind in a element library and publish it to the crew. This is sensible!
The problem is that when a designer engaged on a selected undertaking requires a rearrangement of that construction, we’re type of in hassle.
This drawback extends to virtually all element teams that require manipulation. Tables, menus, lists, varieties, navigation… we are going to hit this wall steadily. That is the place I’d wish to introduce the idea of fastened vs versatile content material inside elements, which ought to assist to handle the long run issues of a world the place we put the DRY (don’t repeat your self) ideas in danger.
As design system maintainers, we naturally need to hold elements as composable as attainable. How can this one element be utilized in numerous other ways with out requiring us to ship an infinite quantity of variations? That is the central theme of the DRY precept however may be difficult in design instruments due to the dearth of element order administration inside the primary elements.
In consequence, we regularly find yourself in a world the place we construct, preserve, and ship countless variations of the identical element in an try to sustain with snowflake implementations of our core element.
“‘When ought to we make one thing a element?’ is a query I’ve been fielding for years. My robust reply: proper from the beginning. Creating issues with a component-based mindset proper out the gate saves numerous hours — every part is a element!”
— Brad Frost, “Design system elements, recipes, and snowflakes”
For instance, the shape we spoke about earlier than could possibly be one for:
Logging in;
Registering;
Signing as much as the publication;
Including billing info.
These are all clearly varieties that require completely different knowledge factors and performance from an engineering perspective, however they’ll most definitely share widespread design foundations, e.g., padding, margins, headings, labels, and enter discipline designs. The query then turns into, “How can we cut back repetition while additionally encouraging combinatorial design?”
An idea that has been long-used within the developer world and loosely agreed upon within the design group is termed “element slots.” This method permits the design system maintainers to ship element containers with agreed properties — sizing, padding, and kinds — while permitting for a versatile association of elements inside it.
Taking our earlier kind examples, we are able to then summary the content material — login kind, register kind, publication kind, and billing info kind — and supply a a lot easier shell element from the library. The designers utilizing this shell (let’s name it a “kind/wrapper”) will then construct their varieties domestically and substitute the slot element contained in the shell with this new customized primary element.
That is greatest defined visually:
Does this practice element have to reside in a number of information? If sure, we transfer it to the subsequent degree up, both team-level libraries or international, if engaged on a smaller system. If not, we are able to comfortably hold that element native to the precise Figma file on a web page (I wish to name it “❖ Parts”).
Essential: For this premise to essentially work, we should make use of auto format at each degree, with no exceptions!
Conclusion
That was loads to course of (over 5 thousand phrases, truly), and I feel it‘s time for us to cease staring on the pc display and take a bit of break earlier than strolling via the subsequent set of ideas.
Go seize a drink or take some relaxation, then meet me in Half 2, the place you’ll be taught much more in regards to the adoptable, indexable, logical, and particular elements.
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