Scaling design: The start of system thinking

What this post added

This post details the initial steps GitLab took to establish a design system, focusing on creating a pattern library of reusable components and defining a design language. It highlights the identification of inconsistencies (e.g., 82 gray values, 30 type scales) and the process of defining perceptual patterns (typography, icons, colors, measurement system). The post also explains the application of these patterns to components, the adoption of Atomic Design principles (atoms, molecules, organisms) for structure, and the evaluation and selection of tooling (Brand.ai) to support the design library creation. It emphasizes the iterative nature of design system development, including adjustments to measurement systems (e.g., allowing 12px for padding) and the future goal of linking the design library with frontend code.