Something which I’ve been quite interested in the past few weeks is the creation of a design pattern library to help us work more efficiently here at DLKW.
So, what is a design pattern?
In software engineering, a design pattern is a general reusable solution to a commonly occurring problem in software design. A design pattern is not a finished design that can be transformed directly into code. It is a description or template for how to solve a problem that can be used in many different situations. (Wikipedia)
Below is an example from Yahoo Design Pattern library:
Some would say ‘why don’t you use Yahoo’s library then?’ Well, actually there are many design pattern libraries available on the web (check some links below) and we could use all of them if we want! However the copy style and format is different and we probably have some stuff which only applies to specific clients or projects. We also need to be able to expand and modify the library quite easily and share with the team in a simple and comprehensive format.
The other challenge is what is the best way to setup our design pattern library. I’ve seen libraries in all sorts of formats including flickr, blogs, wikis and dedicated solutions. All of them have pros and cons and we’ll have to make our decision based on different aspects and spend some time on it. I keep you posted!
Below are some links that I found on arquiteturadainformacao.com (if you can read in Portuguese it’s a great source of information for UX professionals):
DESIGN PATTERN LIBRARIES
- Yahoo! Design Patterns
- Welie
- Web Design Practices
- User Interface Design Patterns
- Sari A. Laakso
- The Diemens Pattern Repository
- Peter Morville Search Patterns
- Factory Joe
- Information Design Patterns
RECOMMENDED READING
BOOKS
