A Beginner's Guide to Structuring Design Tokens: Working in Clusters

As a newcomer to the world of design systems and design tokens, I quickly realized that while the concept seemed straightforward, implementing it effectively was a whole different ball game. Today, I want to share a key insight that has dramatically improved my workflow with Tokens Studio: the power of working in clusters.

The Basics: Where Most of Us Start

When you first dive into design tokens, you typically begin by setting up the foundational elements:

1. Global color scales

2. Dimension ranges

3. Typography scales

These elements are crucial for creating a flexible and scalable design system. They provide the building blocks for your entire design language. However, once these are in place, many beginners (myself included) find themselves asking, "What's next?"

The Next Level: Introducing Cluster-Based Organization

As I worked on evolving the design system at Company X, I stumbled upon a method that brought clarity and structure to my token organization: working in clusters.

What Are Clusters?

In the context of design tokens, clusters are logically grouped sets of tokens that relate to a specific component or element in your design system. For example:

• [button.primary.state]

• [button.secondary.state]

• [button.text.state]

• [card.background.variant]

Why Clusters Work

• Clarity: Clusters provide a clear picture of what colors and dimensions you're using for specific elements. When you look at [button.primary.state], you immediately know you're dealing with all the states of a primary button.

• Ease of Maintenance: By creating these associations, you know exactly where to look when you need to make changes. No more hunting through a sea of tokens to find the one you need to update.

• Scalability: As your design system grows, clusters make it easier to add new components or variations without losing organization.

• Consistency: Clusters help ensure consistency across similar components. You can easily compare [button.primary.state] and [button.secondary.state] to ensure they follow the same pattern.

Implementing Clusters: A Step-by-Step Approach

1. Identify Your Components: Start by listing out the main components in your design system (buttons, inputs, cards, etc.).

2. Define Variants: For each component, identify the main variants (primary, secondary, tertiary, etc.).

3. List States: Determine the different states each variant can have (default, hover, active, disabled, etc.).

4. Create Your Cluster Structure: Use the format [component.variant.state] to structure your tokens.

5. Apply Global Tokens: Within each cluster, apply your global tokens for colors, dimensions, etc.

Example: Button Cluster in json (Tokens Studio)

"interactive": {
    "button": {
      "primary": {
        "default": {
          "value": "{brand-colors.dark-spring-green.600}",
          "type": "color"
        },
        "hover": {
          "value": "{brand-colors.dark-spring-green.400}",
          "type": "color"
        },
        "press": {
          "value": "{brand-colors.dark-spring-green.900}",
          "type": "color"
        },
        "active": {
          "value": "{brand-colors.dark-spring-green.900}",
          "type": "color"
        },
        "loading": {
          "value": "{brand-colors.neutral.25}",
          "type": "color"
        },
        "inactive": {
          "value": "{brand-colors.neutral.25}",
          "type": "color"
        },
        "disabled": {
          "value": "{brand-colors.neutral.25}",
          "type": "color"
        },
        "text": {
          "default": {
            "value": "{brand-colors.dark-spring-green.50}",
            "type": "color"
          },
          "loading": {
            "value": "{brand-colors.neutral.700}",
            "type": "color"
          },
          "inactive": {
            "value": "{brand-colors.neutral.600}",
            "type": "color"
          },
          "disabled": {
            "value": "{brand-colors.neutral.600}",
            "type": "color"
          }
        }

The Benefits I've Experienced

Since implementing this cluster-based approach, I've noticed several improvements in my workflow:

1. Faster Decision Making: When creating new components, I can quickly reference similar clusters to make informed decisions about colors and dimensions.

2. Easier Collaboration: When working with developers, I can point them to specific clusters, making it clear which tokens should be used where.

3. Simplified Maintenance: As the design system evolves, I can update entire clusters at once, ensuring consistency across components.

4. Better Overview: At a glance, I can see how colors and dimensions are used across different components, helping maintain a cohesive design language. This also allows for a more effective condensing of the colors and tokens.

Conclusion

While it may seem like a small shift, organizing your design tokens in clusters can have a significant impact on the clarity, maintainability, and scalability of your design system. As a beginner, this approach has helped me navigate the complex world of design tokens with more confidence and efficiency.

Remember, the key is to find a structure that works for you and your team. Start with this cluster-based approach and adapt it as you go. Happy tokenizing!

What's your experience with organizing design tokens? Have you tried a similar approach or do you have other tips to share? I'd love to hear your thoughts and continue learning from the community!