Establishing Design Standards and Practices

Why Standards Matter

Design standards and best practices are crucial for ensuring consistency and quality across products. They serve as the backbone of a cohesive and efficient design process, enabling teams to deliver a seamless user experience. At Glassdoor, I had the opportunity to establish a design system that standardized UI components and interaction patterns across our platforms. This effort was not just about creating a set of guidelines but about fostering a culture of excellence and unity within the design team.

Consistency

Consistency is the cornerstone of good design. It helps users understand and navigate a product with ease, reducing the learning curve and increasing satisfaction. When UI components and interaction patterns are standardized, users encounter familiar elements across different parts of the product, making their interactions more intuitive.

At Glassdoor, we noticed that our users were struggling with inconsistent UI elements, which led to confusion and frustration. By establishing a design system, we were able to unify our design language, ensuring that buttons, icons, and navigation menus looked and behaved the same way across all platforms. This not only improved the user experience but also reinforced our brand identity.

Efficiency

Standardized design practices streamline the workflow for designers and developers. When a design system is in place, designers don't have to reinvent the wheel for every project. They can rely on a library of pre-defined components and patterns, saving time and reducing the risk of errors. Developers, on the other hand, can implement designs more quickly and accurately, knowing exactly how each component should function.

For instance, at Life360, the design system allowed us to speed up the development process significantly. Designers could focus on solving complex problems and creating innovative solutions, rather than worrying about the basic building blocks of the interface. Developers could confidently code, knowing that they were following established standards.

Scalability

As companies grow, maintaining design consistency becomes increasingly challenging. A well-documented design system serves as a reference point for all team members, ensuring that everyone is on the same page, even as the team expands. This scalability is vital for companies like Glassdoor, which continuously evolves to meet the needs of its users.

By having a design system in place, we were able to onboard new designers and developers more efficiently. They could quickly get up to speed with our design language and standards, allowing them to contribute effectively from day one.

Developing Best Practices

Best practices in design are not static; they evolve through continuous learning, experimentation, and feedback. They are shaped by the latest trends, technologies, and user needs. Developing these practices requires a commitment to staying informed and adaptable.

Continuous Learning

The design field is ever-changing, with new tools, techniques, and trends emerging regularly. To develop and maintain best practices, designers must be committed to continuous learning. This involves attending conferences, participating in workshops, reading industry publications, and engaging with the design community.

At Tebra, we encourage our design team to pursue ongoing education. We provided resources for them to attend design conferences and participate in online courses. This investment in their professional development ensured that our team remained at the forefront of design innovation.

Experimentation

Innovation often comes from experimentation. Encouraging designers to experiment with new ideas and approaches can lead to breakthroughs that enhance the user experience. However, experimentation should be guided by a framework that allows for testing and validation.

In our design process at Glassdoor, we fostered a culture of experimentation. We set aside time for designers to explore new concepts and test them with users. This iterative approach allowed us to refine our designs and incorporate the best ideas into our design system.

Feedback

Feedback is essential for growth and improvement. Regularly soliciting feedback from users, stakeholders, and team members helps identify areas for enhancement and validate design decisions. Creating a feedback loop ensures that best practices are continually refined and optimized.

We implemented a robust feedback mechanism at Glassdoor, where we collected input from various sources, including user testing sessions, stakeholder meetings, and peer reviews. This feedback was invaluable in shaping our design standards and practices, ensuring they met the needs of our users and business objectives.

Conclusion

Establishing design standards and practices is not a one-time effort but an ongoing journey. By prioritizing consistency, efficiency, and scalability, and committing to continuous learning, experimentation, and feedback, design teams can create products that not only meet but exceed user expectations. Sharing this wealth of knowledge and experience can inspire and guide less experienced design professionals towards leadership excellence in the field of design.