Smashing Animations Part 3: SMIL’s Not Dead Baby, SMIL’s Not Dead
The SMIL specification was introduced by the W3C in 1998 for synchronizing multimedia. This was long before CSS animations or JavaScript-based animation libraries were available. It was built into SVG 1.1, which is why we can still use it there today. Now, you might’ve heard that SMIL is dead. However, it’s alive and well since […]
Design System In 90 Days
So we want to set up a new design system for your product. How do we get it up and running from scratch? Do we start with key stakeholders, UI audits, or naming conventions? And what are some of the critical conversations we need to have early to avoid problems down the line? Fortunately, there […]
Building A Practical UX Strategy Framework
In my experience, most UX teams find themselves primarily implementing other people’s ideas rather than leading the conversation about user experience. This happens because stakeholders and decision-makers often lack a deep understanding of UX’s capabilities and potential. Without a clear UX strategy framework, professionals get relegated to a purely tactical role — wireframing and testing […]
Fewer Ideas: An Unconventional Approach To Creativity
What do the Suez Canal, the Roman Goddess Libertas, and ancient Egyptian sculptures have in common? The Statue of Liberty. Surprising? Sure, but the connections make sense when you know the story as recounted by Columbia University psychologist Sheena Iyengar on a recent episode of Hidden Brain. The French artist Frédéric Bartholdi drew inspiration from […]
Smashing Animations Part 2: How CSS Masking Can Add An Extra Dimension
Despite keyframes and scroll-driven events, CSS animations have remained relatively rudimentary. As I wrote in Part 1, they remind me of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera animated series I grew up watching on TV. Shows like Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines, Scooby-Doo, The Perils of Penelope Pitstop, Wacky Races, and, of course, Yogi Bear. Mike […]
Integrating Localization Into Design Systems
Mark and I work as product designers for SAS, a leader in analytics and artificial intelligence recognized globally for turning data into valuable insights. Our primary role is to support the token packages and component libraries for the SAS Filament Design System. SAS’ customer base is global, meaning people from diverse countries, cultures, and languages […]
Integrating Design And Code With Native Design Tokens In Penpot
This article is a sponsored by Penpot It’s already the fifth time I’m writing to you about Penpot — and what a journey it continues to be! During this time, Penpot’s presence in the design tools scene has grown strong. In a market that recently felt more turbulent than ever, I’ve always appreciated Penpot for […]
Smashing Animations Part 1: How Classic Cartoons Inspire Modern CSS
Browser makers didn’t take long to add the movement capabilities to CSS. The simple :hover pseudo-class came first, and a bit later, the transitions between two states. Then came the ability to change states across a set of @keyframes and, most recently, scroll-driven animations that link keyframes to the scroll position. Even with these added […]
Masonry In CSS: Should Grid Evolve Or Stand Aside For A New Module?
You’ve got a Pinterest-style layout to build, but you’re tired of JavaScript. Could CSS finally have the answer? Well, for a beginner, taking a look at the pins on your Pinterest page, you might be convinced that the CSS grid layout is enough, but not until you begin to build do you realise display: grid […]
How To Launch Big Complex Projects
Think about your past projects. Did they finish on time and on budget? Did they end up getting delivered without cutting corners? Did they get disrupted along the way with a changed scope, conflicted interests, unexpected delays, and surprising blockers? Chances are high that your recent project was over schedule and over budget — just […]