In this insightful article, seasoned product designer Rohan Kamath guides readers through the nuanced process of crafting a comprehensive and scalable color palette for design systems. He emphasizes that colors are about more than aesthetics – they convey messages and brand personality.
Kamath outlines the essential categories of colors needed – primary, secondary, neutral and semantic. However, he notes simply selecting one color per category is insufficient. To allow for component variations and accessibility, extended palettes are required.
Two approaches for generating these are discussed – automated tools and the manual ColorBox method allowing full control. Key aspects like dark mode support, naming conventions and guidelines and testing round out the comprehensive overview.
The author stresses balancing constraints with creative freedom. Most notably, he advocates long-term thinking and multiple iterations, noting the process is never truly linear. With experience and timeboxing, Kamath has learned to accept imperfection and move past design traps.
In sum, this seasoned professional provides invaluable guidance for both newcomers to and veterans of design systems seeking to decode the art of scalable and inclusive color palettes. Rohan Kamath’s expertise is on full display throughout the article.
