Upshelf Design System2022-2024
A comprehensive design system created for Upshelf to ensure consistency across all product interfaces and improve development efficiency.
Overview
I led the creation of a comprehensive design system for Upshelf, establishing design tokens, reusable components, and documentation that streamlined the product development process and ensured visual consistency.
Problem Statement
Without a unified design system, the Upshelf product team faced inconsistencies in UI elements, slower development cycles, and difficulty maintaining design quality across features.
Design System
As Upshelf's product grew, the team needed a systematic approach to design that would:
- Ensure visual consistency across all features
- Speed up the design and development process
- Create a shared language between designers and developers
- Make the product more scalable and maintainable
Tokens
I established a comprehensive set of design tokens including:
- Color palette with semantic naming (primary, secondary, success, error, etc.)
- Typography scale with consistent font sizes and line heights
- Spacing system based on a 4px grid
- Border radius and elevation values
Components
Created a library of reusable components that became the building blocks of the Upshelf interface:
- Buttons (primary, secondary, tertiary variants)
- Form inputs (text, select, checkbox, radio)
- Cards and containers
- Navigation components
- Data visualization elements
- Modal and dialog systems
Styles
Refined the typography system and developed a cohesive color palette:
- Established a clear typographic hierarchy
- Selected typefaces that enhance readability and aesthetics
- Defined primary, secondary, and tertiary colors
- Created usage guidelines for text, backgrounds, and interactive elements
Iconography
Designed a set of custom icons that align with the company's brand identity:
- Created custom icons aligned with brand identity
- Standardized icon usage with clear guidelines
- Ensured consistency in size, style, and placement
Documentation
Comprehensive documentation was created to ensure the design system could be effectively used by the entire team:
- Usage guidelines for each component
- Accessibility standards and best practices
- Code examples for developers
- Design principles and patterns
Impact & Results
The Upshelf Design System had a significant positive impact on the product development process:
- Reduced design-to-development time by 40%
- Improved visual consistency across all product features
- Enabled faster onboarding of new team members
- Created a shared vocabulary between design and engineering
- Made it easier to maintain and scale the product
