#28 - Using Git in teams

Hey folks,

Here are a few things I thought were worth sharing this week.

Design Systems Handbook #

“A design system unites product teams around a common visual language. It reduces design debt, accelerates the design process, and builds bridges between teams working in concert to bring products to life.”

Design Systems Handbook is the latest guide from DesignBetter.Co.

For more on design systems, Invision have complied a list of design systems from the world’s leading brand.

Using Git in a team #

Using Git in a team: a cheatsheet by James Chambers saved my skin this week. I’ve been working on the AIN UI kit which presented a rare opportunity to collaborate with another designer. This meant improving my solo Git workflow so I can handle the scary stuff like feature branches and pull requests. If you have a basic understanding of Git and want to take it up a gear you will find this article helpful.

Remembering what you read #

How to remember what you read takes a look at passive versus active reading.

“For us to get the most out of each book we read, it is vital to have a plan for recording, reflecting on, and putting into use the conclusions we draw from the information we consume”, writes Shane Parrish.

There’s a ton of bad advice on reading techniques out there but this article has some very useful tips if you are big on reading.

Notes on Type Design and Klim #

Notes on Type Design (although it looks a relic from the 90’s) is well worth reading. I actually discovered it via an interview with Kris Sowersby who runs Klim Type Foundry and perhaps best known for Tiempos, a face influenced by type heavyweights Times New Roman and Plantin before that. Also worth mentioning is the Klim Type blog; although relatively new it already features some incredible work in progress.

Silence: In the Age of Noise #

“Life is long, if we listen to ourselves often enough, and look up.”

Silence: In the Age of Noise was recommended to me by a friend. It’s a short read in which Norwegian explorer Erling Kagge uses his experiences of walking alone for 50 days across Antarctica, to share the power of silence. If you value mindfulness and the practice of slowing down then definitely check it out.

P.S. – I apologies for sending this email on a Saturday. Yesterday I took a rare day off to help my dad fix a roof. Somehow I managed to forget about the internet all day.