之前制作网页、设计 PPT、弄 VIS 时一心图快，忽略了真正的「专业设计」应该怎么下手，遂决定从头开始系统性学一遍。现代的设计软件、Web 前端、UX 交互都离不开「设计系统」(Design System)，简单来说，它是单一事实来源，它将所有元素分组，使团队能够设计、实现和开发产品。

下面的摘选自原文章，本来想翻译消化的，有些句子始终不对味，概念先行，后面再说。

Everything you need to know about Design Systems

https://uxdesign.cc/everything-you-need-to-know-about-design-systems-54b109851969

What is a Design System?

A Design System is the single source of truth which groups all the elements that will allow the teams to design, realize and develop a product.

Design System is not a deliverable, but a set of deliverables. It will evolve constantly with the product, the tools and the new technologies.

Style Guide or Pattern Library: what’s the difference?

• A Style Guide: as indicated by its name, will focus on graphic styles (colours, fonts, illustrations…) and their usage.
• A Pattern Library will integrate functional components and their usage.

What’s inside?

The fundamental purpose of a Design System is to facilitate the work of the teams. So the first question we need to ask ourselves is not “What should I put inside my Design System?” but “Who is going to use it and how?”.

1.Purpose and shared values

Where are we going? Why? And How?

Before starting anything, it’s essential to align teams around a clear set of shared goals. It will help to build a vision and making sure everyone looks in the same direction. These goals will evolve with time and it’s normal. We just have to make sure that changes are broadly communicated.

As for the values, they are like great ideals that will guide our choices, according to the brand objectives. We need to make sure that what we’re designing does not differ from these key values.

Beside these brand and product values, we could also define some team values that will bring each collaborator around a shared state of mind.

2. Design Principles

First thing to keep in mind: Design principles are so much more than just the visual aspect of a product…

Design principles are the guiding sentences that helps the teams to reach the purpose of the product thanks to the design.

They will help the teams to make meaningful Design decisions.

Design Principles must guide design choices

I will take the example of Medium. One of their Design principles is “Direction over choice”. Thanks to that principle, instead of designing a regular text editor with unlimited choices of colours and fonts, they opted for a simpler one. That allows the author to focus on the content of his article rather than on its visual aspect.

3. Brand identity & language