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Hey Reader,

This week, I want to touch on design systems and how they bridge the gap between design and development, but achieving seamless collaboration in this arena is a challenge many teams face. The key? It's not just about perfecting the system; it's about perfecting the process of collaboration and communication.

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In this video, Molly Hellmuth mentions how finding the perfect rhythm in collaborating with developers on a design system is an ongoing quest. It's about striking a balance between organized design files, comprehensive documentation, and consistent communication. Some key takeaways were:

• Organize Design Files: Keep your Figma files meticulously organized for easy navigation and understanding.
• Document Rigorously: Use tools like Notion for detailed documentation outside of design tools to bridge the gap between design intent and development execution.
• Communicate Frequently: Maintain regular communication through meetings, chat apps, or project management tools to ensure alignment and clarity across teams.

I also spoke with Faraz Ahmad, my former UberEats colleague about Design & engineering collaboration and went deep into the developer’s perspective.

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He highlights the significance of early involvement of engineers in the design process, emphasizing that the earlier the collaboration begins, the more cohesive and effective the final product will be. He also elaborates on more tips like:

• Technical Limitations: Designers should involve engineers early to understand and navigate technical constraints.
• Structured Handoffs: Clear documentation and communication of designs are crucial for smooth transitions to development.
• Ongoing Engagement: Designers should remain involved during development to ensure fidelity and address emerging challenges.

In the collaborative dance between design and engineering, watching these videos might help you learn the secret to creating impactful and successful products and ultimately delivering solutions that resonate deeply with users. Until next week!

- Femke

📚 Easy Grids and Guides with GuideGuide, Now in Figma

Typical grid tools have strict limits and work for basic scenarios. Do you consider yourself strict and basic? Probably not. GuideGuide creates grids anywhere, based on anything, using guides. Use it with your favorite design tools, including the newly launched Figma version. Cameron, the guy that makes GuideGuide, is offering 50% off the first year of your license if you sign up with the promo code “femke”.

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👀 FREE 15-minute mentor sessions

Exciting news! Whether you're pondering design dilemmas, project paths, or curious about my Product Strategy for Designers course, let's connect and spark some inspiration. Exclusive to the community—book your spot and let's elevate your design journey together. Ready to chat?

✨ The most important skill that most designers don't have...

Unlock the game-changing skill most designers overlook in our next livestream with Jesse Showalter. With 15 years of experience across Branding, UI/UX, and development, Jesse's insights will transform your projects and career path. Join us to empower your design journey with indispensable sales strategies.

This is a FREE community event, but $5 for non-members.

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📍 Guide to UX Planning — How to Create a Roadmap

A Senior UX Director I work with breaks down the steps to creating an effective UX roadmap. I don't know about you and other teams, but these resources came at the perfect time of year for planning and roadmapping. Check out the hub I've linked below, where two articles are already live. The final installment is out on February 19!

💎 Gems of the week

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Vaibhav Khulbe @vaibhav_khulbe Zach shared a great tip for icon designs! He recently won @10x_designers Conference ion design challenge and it's such a spot on icon for conference! 🎯 🔗 Join a talented pool of designers: https://www.10xdesigners.co/home?via=vaibhav https://twitter.com/ZachShea/status/1752796582632735044 Zach Shea @ZachShea I recently won the icon design challenge at last week's @10x_designers conference 😄💪 So to give back, I figured I'd share some tips for making great icons ✨ Here we go... 👇 2:14 AM • Feb 1, 2024 1 Retweets 6 Likes

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🙌 A fun link to free icons + the opportunity to join a community of designers that joined for 10x conference!

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Charli Marie @charliprangley In response to my newsletter issue about burnout, a reader/podcast listener who is going back through old episodes of @DesignLifeFM sent me a few reminders of goals my past self had set. I cried 🥹❤️ I'm doing all these things. 5:59 AM • Jan 30, 2024 0 Retweets 55 Likes Read 6 replies

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🤔 I thought this was so thoughtful and sweet. Set goals, and revisit them - everything moves so fast you should take the time to appreciate your accomplishments!

Have a topic you'd like us to chat about? Reply to this email and let me know!

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