Naming Tokens in Design Systems

In the ever-evolving digital design landscape, the importance of design tokens has become increasingly paramount. As Nathan Curtis, a seasoned expert in the field of design systems, eloquently explores in his insightful article, the naming and organization of these visual style building blocks can make all the difference in sustaining a team’s shared understanding and efficient collaboration.

Curtis, a respected figure in the EightShapes community, delves deep into the intricacies of token naming, guiding readers through a comprehensive taxonomy encompassing base levels, modifiers, objects, and namespaces. With his extensive experience in architecting tokens for a diverse range of clients, from Discovery Education to Morningstar, Curtis shares invaluable insights and principles to help design teams navigate the challenges of creating a cohesive and scalable token system.

As the design systems landscape evolves, Nathan Curtis’s “Naming Tokens in Design Systems” is a comprehensive and invaluable resource for designers, developers, and product teams seeking to establish a robust and purposeful token taxonomy. With its depth of knowledge, practical insights, and clear communication, this article is a must-read for anyone invested in the future of design systems and the power of intentional visual language.