📲 Text the show your thoughts!

Brad Frost takes us back in time to the early days of design systems, and walks us through some of the significant moments of evolution from style guides to modern design systems. We dig in to the multiple proto-Storybook-esque projects, the original problem of sharing UI patterns, what React did, and Brad's personal moment of "oh, it's called design systems now." Plus, a bonus podcast throwback from the Style Guides Podcast feat. Dave Rupert and some early proto-Storybook madness.

💖 On Theme is a brand new podcast, so if you like what you're hearing, please hit subscribe and sign up at designsystemsontheme.com!

Links & References

Brad Frost
Brad's new tokens course, Subatomic
patternlab.io
How Pattern Lab worked
This is Responsive
styleguides.io
Anna Debenham
Nicole Sullivan OOCSS
Jonathan Snook SMACSS Book
Natalie Downe "Practical Maintainable CSS"
Ethan Marcotte's original Responsive Design article in A List Apart
The Story of React
THAT React CSS in JS slide
Style Guides podcast with Dave Rupert
RetailMeNot's Roux project

🎨🎟️ Into Design Systems is May 25-28
Get your ticket at intodesignsystems.com/ontheme

Into Design Systems is back with their annual virtual conference, May 28-30, 2025. Get your ticket now for three days of practical, hands on sessions showing the what, why, and how of design systems. This year, the conference is focused on developer handoff, accessibility, multi brand theming, and governance. You'll get hands on knowledge you can put to use at work immediately, files and resources to take away, and hear from very well known industry speakers.

Q & A with Dr. Salla, Elena Danaan & JP