This is how bad design makes it out into the world. Not due to malicious intent, but having no intent at all.
University Libraries’ design system
Principles
Core principles that guide all the decisions to holistically develop web assets.
Content
Learn how to use language to design more thoughtful experiences.
Design
Find out how we approach the visual elements of our interface with purpose.
Code
Use components as building blocks to develop new or modify existing content.
Getting started
The design system provides guidelines and code to help quickly create trustworthy, accessible, and consistent digital library services.
The design system takes a content-first approach. When developing web assets, the design reflects the needs of the content to be understood well. Design is important but supplemental for the University Libraries’ web presence.
The design system is thusly presented in the order the Libraries’ considers and develops web assets: based on the principles, content is developed then fine tuned for design requirements before it’s coded into accessible formats and standardized page patterns. Developing consistent language and patterns in code and page layouts improves people’s ability to navigate and complete tasks.
-
Content editors
Learn about the design system, and how to make recommendations.
Content introduction -
Developers
Technical implementation and principles, and how to contribute.
Developer introduction
Dependent sites
The web assets that the Web Development Team manages includes:
- Libraries’ main website (Drupal 7),
- Health Sciences Libraries’ websites (OIT/Drupal 7),
- Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad),
- University Digital Conservancy (DSpace),
- LibCal (SpringShare),
- Libraries’ website Search (Google Custom Search Engine),
- Library guides (Springshare), and
- EZproxy (application error pages)
Resources and acknowledgements
All the work on the University Libraries design system is done with adoption of, consideration for, and in collaboration with:
- University Relations and the Folwell Design System,
- Libraries’ Communications,
- and Libraries’ Web Content Management Committee.
Installation notes
The design system is developed to provide tech-stack agnostic tools to deliver a consistent and seamless experience for people regardless of how they come to the content.
Utilizing the guidelines and code from the design system improves experiences and is more efficient for developers, designers, and people coming to the Libraries content. The code in the design system is written with pure semantic HTML5 and CSS3; foundational languages for the Internet that work with all modern frameworks.
No installation is required. The packaged assets the design system generates are available at the University Libraries’ published assets (current unavailable).