Design Systems International

DSI’s design engineer, Lucas Dino Nolte, has embraced a practice of “letting code loose” through small, time-boxed experiments. Freed from the pressures of best practices and production-grade code, it has helped foster creativity and innovation in his own work:“There is pure bliss in embracing the beginner’s mindset again. The serendipitous mindset, where errors are really just happy little accidents.” https://lnkd.in/euAfGz8J

It's not always obvious how much value there is in early prototyping, and failing/learning early while stakes are low. We took the time to elaborate these ideas with Rune Madsen, making the case that investing in functional prototypes is more often than not a good investment that pays off in the long run.

?NEW? DSI co-founders Martin Bravo and Rune Madsen recently sat down to talk about what it means for organizations to embrace a “prototyping mindset” and the tangible benefits that come when engineers are pulled into the early design process.

It is more than possible to run teams that deliver high-quality work remotely while also fostering an environment that values them as humans, and not just employees. In our case, we rely on a weekly meeting that provides a mix of work and play, known affectionately as “Funday.” Rather than try to tightly manage how our team spends their time through daily standup meetings or intricate project management software, we instead found success through developing our weekly priorities and agenda together as a team. The focus isn’t solely on project timelines and deliverables for clients — we also care that our team has manageable workloads and the support they need. For anyone interested in learning more about remote-first workflows, we’re releasing a template of the simple spreadsheet we’ve developed over the years to track projects, as well as a detailed description of how we coordinate remotely from opposite ends of the globe: https://lnkd.in/eRrrwN63

5 Ways to Approach Designing With Code Here's how our team thinks about breaking down the silos that traditionally separate design and engineering teams. 1. Don’t get so hung up on job titles We need to break out of the self-limiting belief system that design and engineering are two distinct processes that must remain separate. In practice at DSI, that means not letting job titles limit the scope of any individual employee’s role. “No one is fully the engineer or fully a designer,” Francisca says. “It helps the process move much smoother.” 2. Check your ego while practicing humility For those designers and engineers looking to expand their skill set and branch out into other fields, our advice is to simply try it out — take on projects that push you out of your comfort zone. “It’s better to try and start failing, and eventually you will get used to it,” Francisca says. “I think that’s the way to start learning about the other side.” 3. Make cross-collaboration part of your creative process One practical tip for designers and engineers who are interested in merging the two disciplines is to regularly partner with someone outside of your field very early on in the design process. “You become a better professional when you are able to collaborate deeply with people who are very different from you,” Martin says. 4. Think of code as a design material Designers lose out when they remove themselves from the technical side of bringing their ideas to life. But if designers deeply understand code as a material and how it works, then they’re better-positioned to envision the best-possible solutions. “It's an informed conversation on the constraints of that thing that you're creating,” Martin says. 5. Let technical constraints spark creativity Designers can bring a great deal to the table by embracing technical constraints. Instead of being turned away by those limitations, designers can leverage their experience and expertise to seek out new creative solutions. “Even if your coding skills are very limited then, so be it, your coding skills are now the constraint,” Lucas says. “Make something within that constraint.” *** Do you agree? Let us know your advice for others. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eCR8TXwp

We've launched a new content series called 'Inside DSI,' where we'll be sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the ideas that drive our process and approach to our work. Up first, our team weighs in on what it takes to break down the silos that traditionally separate design and engineering. Our advice: Don't get so caught up with job titles. Read more from Inside DSI: https://lnkd.in/eCPnVUJa

We've launched a new content series called 'Inside DSI,' where we'll be sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the ideas that drive our process and approach to our work. Up first, our team weighs in on what it takes to break down the silos that traditionally separate design and engineering. Our advice: Don't get so caught up with job titles. Read more from Inside DSI: https://lnkd.in/eCPnVUJa

We've launched a new content series called 'Inside DSI,' where we'll be sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the ideas that drive our process and approach to our work. Up first, our team weighs in on what it takes to break down the silos that traditionally separate design and engineering. Our advice: Don't get so caught up with job titles. Read more from Inside DSI: https://lnkd.in/eCPnVUJa

"Designers have been painted into a corner and the only way out of this dead end is for our practices to evolve." —Rune Madsen, co-founder of Design Systems International Read the full story on how the field of product design can find its way back: https://lnkd.in/ebRRijRD