Design Systems: adopt, implement, extend, patch

[Andrew Petro]

Design systems, for universities.

Who's got one? It working well?

I'm most wondering if anyone has tried the following strategy:

1. Adopt an existing design system.

Turns out there's a few out there. Material. Carbon. Rivet. Ant. US Web Design System. Mineral. Grommet. Australian Government design system.

Probably should pick one that's designed to be adopted by others.

2. Localize that existing design system.

Exercise the localization options designed into the design system. Colors, typefaces, branding.

3. Thoughtfully extend, override the design system

The off-the-shelf design system doesn't have all the components and interactions needed. Or didn't get accessibility right for its text forms. Or infuriatingly prescribes ALL CAPS.

Doesn't have software libraries written for all of Vue, Angular, React. Doesn't have a Jekyll theme or WordPress theme.

All these are fine things to care about. The university needs what it needs.

One a case by case basis, where the extension, addition, replacement is worth it, go ahead and do it. Maybe try to contribute it upstream.

Hoped for outcome:

the implementation of the university design system is a reference to an off the shelf design system, instructions, and conceptually patches.

Ideally this shortens time to market, improves breadth and depth and quality, picks up some examples and potential collaborators, makes maintenance more feasible, gives the university more interesting staffing and consulting options, etc.

It leaves the university locally developing and maintaining only 1. local guidance about implementing the selected upstream design system and 2. local extensions and exceptions. That is, focuses university resources on the university-specific problems (how to implement that thing around here and needed things that apparently the upstream design system isn't solving.)

Reminds me a lot of some of the flavors of open source value propositions.

This seems like a pretty good idea. Anyone know of any universities trying this approach, how that works out in practice?

[Jim Helwig]

Design systems are a thing. It will be interesting to hear what other universities are doing in this area.

Andrew, you may want to consider asking members of the Educause Web Professionals Community Group if you haven’t already.

JimH

— 

Jim Helwig

Web Platforms & Services, UW-Madison

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[Andrew Petro]

Hi Jim,

Good suggestion, also posted to EDUCAUSE web@.

And tweeted.

A colleague also asked in a Design Systems Slack.

All,

In any channel that works for you, I'd love to hear more about what Apereo participants are doing for local design systems... :)

-Andrew