Design tokens have been an important part of design systems for some time now. They allow for both useful constraints and creative flexibility when either building a new system or working within an existing one. While designers seem generally familiar that design tokens are a part of the U.S. Web Design System, there don't appear to be good practices around incorporating the use of them into design tool workflows and collaboration with developers. This is a missed opportunity to realize the full potential of USWDS and its role as a common language between design and implementation.
Appetite
How much time we want to spend on this problem for now
This is a "large batch" project that will be the primary focus of our effort for Cycle 6, running about 3 weeks. This cycle is shortened by 1 day due to the Labor Day holiday. And Brianna is out for that first, shortened week.
Solution
Our high-level solution is to create a microsite to document guidance on how designers can progressively understand and apply the use of design tokens in their work.
We see this solution consisting of two main components:
"Maturity model"-style content to document steps to increasing use of and benefit from design tokens.
Periodic "micro-blog" content with tips, tricks, and resources.
A rough, high-level sketch of the concept:
Rabbit Holes
Areas of complexity that could throw the project off track
This project will require some pretty significant content development and curation. Try to avoid creating a need for a lot of media production too early.
We have a Bixal team supporting USWDS that is also working on content for the USWDS documentation site, so we may want to at least make them aware of what we're working on.
We've talked about using Bixal branding for this, and we have some tools already built. But we don't want to devote too much time to theming.
No-gos
Things we want to explicitly leave out of this project
Theming work should not require using a USWDS build or compiling SASS. (It should work with hosted, compiled CSS.)
Problem
Design tokens have been an important part of design systems for some time now. They allow for both useful constraints and creative flexibility when either building a new system or working within an existing one. While designers seem generally familiar that design tokens are a part of the U.S. Web Design System, there don't appear to be good practices around incorporating the use of them into design tool workflows and collaboration with developers. This is a missed opportunity to realize the full potential of USWDS and its role as a common language between design and implementation.
Appetite
How much time we want to spend on this problem for now
This is a "large batch" project that will be the primary focus of our effort for Cycle 6, running about 3 weeks. This cycle is shortened by 1 day due to the Labor Day holiday. And Brianna is out for that first, shortened week.
Solution
Our high-level solution is to create a microsite to document guidance on how designers can progressively understand and apply the use of design tokens in their work.
We see this solution consisting of two main components:
A rough, high-level sketch of the concept:
Rabbit Holes
Areas of complexity that could throw the project off track
No-gos
Things we want to explicitly leave out of this project