ShopTalk 657: David Darnes on Web Components and Design Systems
Mar 24, 2025
David Darnes, a designer and front-end developer renowned for his work on the Nord design system, shares insights on building versatile design systems and web components. He discusses the advantages of integrating web components across different frameworks, highlighting their role in bridging legacy and modern tech. Darnes also explores the creative potential of standalone web components and emphasizes the importance of API refinement for team tools. The episode is sprinkled with humor and fascinating anecdotes about the intersection of branding and design.
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Design System as Recruitment Tool
- David Darnes's design system at Nord Health was noticed by Ariel Salminen.
- This led to Darnes being hired, demonstrating the promotional aspect of design systems.
Low-Level Component Strategy
- Nord Health's design system, built with web components, focuses on low-level, base-level components.
- This allows for broad application across different products and saves time.
Web Components for UI Parity
- Nord Health used web components to create parity between a decade-old monolith and a new Nuxt application.
- The UI looked identical, even with dynamic resizing, showcasing web components' cross-platform power.