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Once again, we delve into the intersection of design and development - this time expanding on our previous discussion of design systems. In this article, we will take a first look at component libraries, a crucial yet often debated approach for designers and developers alike.
Component libraries, like their counterpart, the design system, are the foundation of an organization’s design and development process. They provide a (single) source of truth for designers and developers, ensuring consistency and efficiency across the board.
Establish a single source of truth
Because components reside in both the design and development domains, it is essential to establish a single source of truth for both teams. This source of truth reduces the risk of inconsistencies and miscommunication between the two teams.
Establishing a single source of truth inherently struggles with the challenge of keeping design and development in sync. A coordinated approach emerges where designers and developers establish and maintain a common understanding and communication.
Communicating and synchronizing changes
Tools for bridging the gap
State-of-the-art tools such as Figma and Storybook help bridge the gap between design and development. They provide a platform for both teams to communicate and synchronize changes in a timely manner.
Both tools provide excellent coverage of the features needed to facilitate communication and synchronization of changes, and are well suited to work with their respective teams while providing a platform for collaboration and insight from other teams.
| Figma Features | |
|---|---|
| Real-Time Collaboration | Work simultaneously with other designers |
| Design Systems | Work across files with tokens and components |
| Prototyping | Build interactive prototypes to test user flows |
| Dev Mode | Document and hand off designs to developers |
| Version History | Track changes and revert to previous versions |
| Storybook Featues | |
|---|---|
| Isolated Development | Develop components outside of the app |
| Component Testing | Simulate behavior and assert in the browser |
| Visual Testing | Determine UI changes visually by comparsion |
| Documentation | Generate automated documentation for components |
| Extensible | Enhance with addons for specific use cases |
Roles in the process
Design
Designers share responsibility for conceptualizing components, keeping the system in mind while adhering to standards such as accessibility. They publish components and their documentation, communicate changes, and maintain and update components.
Handoff
More a shared process than a role between design and development, handoff is responsible for transferring results and associated knowledge between teams in an efficient and timely manner. It is the backbone of smooth execution in both design and development.
Development
Developers define component requirements, evaluate use cases, and review discussed concepts prior to the design process. They develop, publish, document, and maintain components across platforms and versions.
Reducing the friction
In the initial deployment of a component library, it is more than likely that both teams will encounter some sort of friction when it comes to communication and responsibilities. As part of a larger effort, it becomes a shared responsibility to reduce friction and simplify the process.
Common issues might include but not mutually exclude:
- Neglected communication on one or more side
- Uncertainty in terms of responsibility or tasks
- Synchronizing UI between design and development
- Conflicting design and technical considerations
- Too many or too few process requirements
While you may encounter one or more of these issues, rest assured that in most cases, proper communication between teams will alleviate these transition pain points. In the end, it all adds up to a streamlined and enjoyable process for both teams.
Rinse and repeat
Once a process is found, rinse and repeat becomes the agenda. Internalize and document the process, and identify other pain points early on in both teams to perfect the process of perfecting the process.
It may sound repetitive, but communication really is the key here. In the next article, we’ll delve deeper into component libraries and design and develop a real-world example using the concepts described here. Stay tuned for more.
TL;DR
Component libraries are a cornerstone of modern design systems and will positively impact the design and development of a product. Building on solid communication between teams, managing and expanding a component library becomes a breeze.