In this podcast John Rodrigues and Samantha Vivonia cover how startups build design systems , how designers can go about learning design systems, challenges of the current design industry and more
About Samantha Vivonia
Sam is Product Designers focused on Design Systems for Startups. She also a Design Instructor. In this podcast Sam and John discuss about Design Systems, the design industry, design career and personal brand. John met Sam meet via SoCAL UX group a community of designers who help each other grow.
Key Questions and Points Covered
Journey into design and how Sam found her interest in design systems?
Why are design systems important for companies?
How can designers learn about design systems?
How is building design systems for startups different compared to big companies?
Challenging market
How can designers go about building a strong personal brand?
Listen now on Spotify, Youtube and Apple
Key Takeaways
Getting into Product Design : We all got into the filed of design from a diverse background, it all adds up and help you be who you are today.
Collaboration between designers and developers: Design systems play a crucial role in promoting efficient collaboration between designers and engineers. It's essential for designs to be easily communicated to engineers for a successful implementation. Steering clear of conflicts between designers and engineers leads to improved project execution.
Utilizing tools like Figma, which evolves to mirror development practices, ensures design and development teams operate on the same system.
Design systems are about transparency and collaboration, enabling design, development, and business teams to work under the same set of rules. Using pre-existing kits like Bootstrap can enhance efficiency, ensure accessibility, and provide room for customization.
Design systems improve business efficiency by providing a holistic view of operations. They enable a blend of design and development, saving crucial time and money in startups and larger companies alike.
Designers should understand coding to communicate effectively with engineers but may not need to code themselves. This understanding can boost a designer's relevance and contribution within a team.
For product designers, it's crucial to understand and speak the language of developers to enhance collaboration. Building a strong personal brand can set you apart in your career, so find ways to showcase your unique skills and perspectives.
As a designer, it's crucial to adapt your language to your audience, whether it's discussing value propositions with business stakeholders or APIs with developers.
Embrace creativity and uniqueness in personal branding, but balance it with professionalism and industry understanding.
Creativity in design is shifting towards problem-solving, and designers' creativity should align with their stories.
Stay updated with Figma's developments, as it aligns with current web development trends. Explore modern tools like Framer for design. Use social platforms like LinkedIn for industry updates.
Improv classes can help build adaptability and comfort in navigating the unpredictable and quickly changing startup environments.
4 Actionable Insights
Think of salability when you design a design system.
Leverage tools like Figma for efficient collaboration between designers and engineers.
As a designer, understand coding basics to communicate effectively with engineers.
Build a strong, creative and authentic, yet professional personal brand, and stay updated with industry trends
Let’s Connect
Sam Vivonia LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-vivonia/
Say Hi you loved the podcast and would like to connect
Portfolio : https://samanthavivonia.framer.website/
John Rodrigues LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rodrigues4/
Further resources to level up your profession
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