Should we stop romanticising design systems?
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I overheard a thought from a front-end engineer: In fact, no one wants to work on design system components because it requires a lot of effort and brain power to consider all the states and edge cases, but everybody wants to work on solutions using these components.
I think a lot depends on context. Sometimes I've seen that teams in the research phase and endless pivots have locked themselves into a system design that prevents them from reacting quickly to the context.
But here it is very important not to miss the moment when the benefits of the design system become greater than the negative aspects. And I can say 1000% that a mindlessly designed system does far more harm than good in a dynamic environment.
I’ve found systems thinking isn’t for everyone. But it’s still immensely valuable, and those who do it tend to have outsized impact. tannerchristensen.com/notes/systems-…
Systems thinking is what makes designers great - Tanner Christensen's notes
I used to believe that what made great designers so great was their craft; their ability to add polish and style to whatever they touched. Now I see that what makes exceptional designers so incredible is not only their attention to detail, but their ability to think holistically about their work.
tannerchristensen.com
Nice article! So basically, the difference between an average and skilled designer is a willingness to think more than just to execute.