Pattern libraries are a valuable tool for organizations large and small. In this article, we’ll explain how we’re making pattern libraries even easier to use and maintain. At Think Company, we know that pattern libraries (also referred to as component libraries, UI libraries, or code kits) are excellent tools for enforcing consistency across an organization’s products. They’re a central source of truth for design and code, and they reduce repeated work. If you’ve read Greg’s post on the benefits of using pattern libraries, then you know a pattern library benefits many different folks in an organization. One of those is of … Read more of the post Make It Easy for Your Developers to Use Your Pattern Library

Once a week, when I’m at home dragging the garbage cans to the curb, I think to myself, “Whoa… it feels like I was just doing this yesterday… and here we are again… *SNAP*… another week.” This always gives me a little pang of existential angst, to be honest. This time of year, when Suzanne asks, “Hey, are you gonna do a traditional year-end post?”, it happens on a grander scale. There are rituals that are part of the Think Company experience that hit me in a similar and familiar way every time a year comes to a close, but … Read more of the post Growth, Goals Realized, and Charting the Future: Reflections on 2018

In part three, we talked about how design influences conversation—both in the real world and online. Now we’re going to zoom out a bit to talk about two different approaches to conversation that make all of the difference: collaboration versus hierarchy. A hierarchical approach basically says, “This is how it should be and there should be no deviation.” It already knows the answer. It is non-learning because, well, what is there to learn? We already know the answer. All we can discuss is whether or not you agree. It is also exclusive. It divides the world into two groups: those … Read more of the post The Content Strategy of Civil Discourse, Part 4

Service Design is a type of design. It’s similar to Product Design or Interaction Design, but is more abstract. You can’t hold a service and assess it in your hands. A service is a combination of touchpoints that can involve a mix of physical, digital, and human interactions. Service Design is the deliberate, holistic creation of those touchpoints and the experience a customer has with an organization. It’s about the complete journey of a customer, why they engage, what they need, what they want, and working within reasonable constraints to provide that. Within the world of design there are a … Read more of the post Service Design—It’s Not Just Another Buzzword

As Election Day approaches, one question that many voters may be asking themselves is, “Where is my polling place?” A group of Thinkers built a progressive web application (PWA) to give Pennsylvanians a quick answer. Background At Think Company, we have an extensive history of volunteering our time to help the community. From improving the public transit fare system to providing design and development assistance for a cancer data project, we are always looking for ways we can be of service. Think Company is also committed to ensuring employees are fully able to participate in our democracy by granting up … Read more of the post Helping People Get to the Polls with a PWA