ATOMIC DESIGN
Why the hell do we need another design system?
Rey Mayson
ATOMIC DESIGN
Atomic design is a methodology composed of five distinct
stages working together to create interface design systems
in a more deliberate and hierarchical manner.
BRAD FROST - THE GUY TO BLAME
METAPHOR
THE FIVE STAGES OF ATOMIC DESIGN
Organisms examples
Template
Template example
Page example
COMMON STYLE GUIDE APPROACH
• Adding new components can be
complex

• “Light” customization may require
deep framework rework

• If you cant use it “as-it-is” in most
cases - it doesn’t work for you

• It’s hard for visual designer to use it
in mockups
OTTA BOX FRAMEWORK DRAWBACKS
• Lacks usage description 

• Hard to follow components
nesting

• Doesn’t prevent unnecessary
duplicates at development level
COMMON STYLE GUIDE DRAWBACKS
IT’S MISSING THE MOST IMPORTANT
ATOMIC DESIGN APPROACH
ATOMIC DESIGN OUTCOME
ANOTHER GUY WITH A “SMART THEORY.”
HOW ABOUT THE PRACTICE?
NAMING CONVENTION
LIBRARY STRUCTURE
ATOM
MOLECULE
ORGANISM
TEMPLATE
TEMPLATE COMPONENTS
PAGE
LAYERS NAMING
INVISION INSPECT MODE
FRONTEND CODE STRUCTURE
WHAT DID WE GAIN
• Max components re-use by designers and developers

• Complete & unified mockups structure

• Designers and devs use the same “language”

• Quick design prototypes

• Extreme productivity increase in creating new templates from existing elements

• Ease of modifying system components

• Less routine, less QA work, more concentration on new features
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE
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ReyMayson

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Atomic Design