Experience Designed Ep28. Atomic Design, Tokens, AI and the Future of Design Systems with Brad Frost
May 7, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Brad Frost, a leading design systems expert known for Atomic Design, shares his journey from music to web design. He emphasizes the importance of design tokens and offers strategies for overcoming common implementation challenges. Brad reflects on the evolution of design principles and the role of AI in the creative process, advocating for human-centered approaches in an automated world. This conversation is packed with practical advice for both seasoned professionals and those new to the field.
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Brad's Journey into Web Design
- Brad Frost started his university path as a music major but shifted to Media Arts and Design after struggling with practice requirements.
- He organically began web design by making his band's website and teaching himself through early web tools and Dreamweaver courses.
The Origin of Systems Thinking
- Sharing components like headers across webpages was difficult before templating languages like PHP existed.
- This challenge inspired Brad's pragmatic approach to building scalable and reusable UI components.
Atomic Design's Concept and Tooling
- Atomic Design was born from breaking UI into hierarchical, reusable parts inspired by chemistry.
- Brad combined this concept with tooling like his PHP-based Pattern Lab to facilitate practical implementation.
