Have you ever admired the sides of a gemstone? The angles and slants are a factor of magnificence. You can see {that a} multi-faceted gemstone shines brighter than a flat one. You may additionally see this type of magnificence when analyzing a multi-faceted design system. A design system is a set of pointers, requirements, and assets for creating constant and unified consumer interfaces (UI). Like the sides of a diamond, an open supply design system wealthy with various contributions and group engagement in the end results in higher product experiences.
The PatternFly challenge is an open supply design system for Red Hat merchandise. But open supply does not finish with PatternFly’s code. Behind PatternFly is a crew of people that create designs utterly within the open. From designers and builders to researchers and writers, we work collectively to function as an open supply group.
Our secret? We do not have one — we work within the open, bear in mind? However, we use these 5 greatest practices. I’ll share them right here in order that you can also energy your personal design system with open supply.
1. Contribute collectively
We have a core PatternFly design crew to design, preserve, and evolve the design system. But we encourage and welcome contributions from everybody. If you’ve a ardour for collaboration and a knack for consumer expertise (UX), PatternFly wants to hear from you.
2. Build group
Nothing created in a silo makes its option to PatternFly. We consider design is best within the open. This is why we embrace the group in all updates, modifications, and additions. We accumulate suggestions on contributions from individuals throughout design and growth so that everybody has a say in what will get applied. We additionally search enter and collaboration from individuals throughout a number of design disciplines. This is completed to interrupt free from any bias or assumption. This sort of open design makes our design system stronger. It additionally strengthens our blossoming group of people that interact with or contribute to PatternFly (we lovingly confer with them as Flyers).
3. Loop in everybody
If you discover that brainstorming concepts with others leads to options higher than anyone particular person would have dreamed of, then you definately already assume like a Flyer. We have common design conferences the place contributors current their concepts and focus on design approaches in a bunch setting. This permits us to maintain our concepts collaborative and take into account designs from all angles. Additionally, we host month-to-month group conferences in order that we will join with Flyers from throughout the globe and share the newest updates. You can catch all of our previous assembly recordings on our PatternFly YouTube channel.
4. Listen to customers
As a group, we goal to have all PatternFly contributions result in useful and delightful product experiences throughout completely different contexts. To make {that a} actuality, we maintain ourselves accountable to interrupt out of our personal bubbles and interact with customers. We work with UX researchers to check updates, modifications, and additions with customers — akin to visible themes and interactions — to make sure that we’re creating designs, assets, and experiences that resolve for everybody, not simply individuals like us.
5. Create connections
PatternFly is the thread of consistency by means of merchandise throughout Red Hat’s portfolio. Everyone has the artistic freedom to construct what greatest serves their customers. But we work as a crew to attach product teams by means of the design system for a extra unified consumer expertise. PatternFly assets are simple to entry and open to all. This helps us create connections and squash silos.
Come design within the open with us
Whether you are a crew of 1 or 100, or whether or not your design system is open supply or not — there’s all the time room for a bit collaboration and group in every little thing we do. Tell us how issues prove for you by connecting with the PatternFly community. We cannot wait to listen to from you.
