Design Patterns are some of the most over-used concepts in design today. And we all know what happens when you have some ideas all over the place. We start repeating them like parrots and applying them to everything, therefore distorting their meaning. We end up missing the point with over-complicated concepts and lots of fancy words. So here is my humble attempt to bring more clarity to what design patterns are while applying something I live for: Always keep it simple!

設計模式是當今設計中一些最被過度使用的概念。 我們都知道當您到處都有想法時會發生什么。 我們開始像鸚鵡一樣重復它們，并將它們應用于所有事物，因此扭曲了它們的含義。 我們最終由于過于復雜的概念和許多花哨的單詞而錯過了這一點。 因此，這是我謙虛的嘗試，以便在應用我所生活的東西時更加清楚地說明什么設計模式：始終保持簡單！

把事情簡單化 (Keep it Simple)

In my article ‘Understanding the parts of a Design System’ I touch-pointed on patterns with a more ‘neutral’ definition:

在我的文章“ 理解設計系統的各個部分 ”中，我指出了具有更“中性”定義的模式：

Patterns consist of a reusable collection of components that can be defined by their respective interactions when solving a design problem. These need to be adopted and documented as business cases and together build a consistent and robust ecosystem.

模式由可重用的組件集合組成，這些組件可以通過解決設計問題時它們各自的相互作用來定義。 這些需要作為業務案例采用并記錄在案，并共同構建一個一致且強大的生態系統。

As mentioned in that same article, and based on this definition we can define 3 key metrics that help us identify and validate what a pattern is:

如同一篇文章中所述，根據此定義，我們可以定義3個關鍵指標，這些指標可以幫助我們識別和驗證模式是什么：

1. A pattern is a solution to a common design problem, always linked to a business case.

   模式是始終與業務案例聯系在一起的常見設計問題的解決方案 。

2. A pattern is reusable by nature and always linked to components and other pieces of a design system.

   模式本質上是可重用的 ，并且始終鏈接到設計系統的組件和其他部分。

3. A pattern must be documented and provide guidelines about how the problem was solved by the product team.

   必須記錄模式，并提供有關產品團隊如何解決問題的準則。

Paradoxically, in this case, a simple enough definition alone could lead to multiple interpretations and cherry-picking when applying patterns. So how can we explain it better while keeping it simple? The solution I have found is to give a more specific format to this definition. This will help us preserve its simplicity while enabling design systems teams to be on the same page when working with patterns.

矛盾的是，在這種情況下，僅使用一個簡單的定義就可以在應用模式時導致多種解釋和挑剔。 那么我們如何在保持簡單的同時更好地解釋它呢？ 我發現的解決方案是為該定義提供更具體的格式。 這將有助于我們保留其簡單性，同時使設計系統團隊在使用模式時可以處于同一頁面上。

將模式視為故事 (Think of Patterns as Stories)

We, humans come from the factory with a strong need to believe in stories in order to cooperate effectively. In the tech world, these stories are translated into values and rules that define who we are and how we work. From companies values to systems structures, the stories are there to guide us and give us meaning. Now, apply this to patterns.

我們人類來自工廠，他們非常需要相信故事才能有效合作。 在科技界，這些故事被轉化為價值觀和規則，以定義我們是誰以及我們如何工作。 從公司價值到系統結構，這些故事可以引導我們并賦予我們意義。 現在，將其應用于模式。

A pattern is a story about how a common problem was solved and what we can learn from it.

模式是一個關于如何解決常見問題以及我們可以從中學到什么的故事。

Like with every story, there is a narrative structure. It starts with an introduction and the development of the plot and characters, followed by a climax, falling action and a final resolution or conclusion. A lesson learned.

就像每個故事一樣，都有敘事結構。 它從情節和人物的介紹和發展開始，然后是高潮，跌倒的動作以及最終的解決方案或結論。 一個教訓。

At first, this might seem like something hard to connect with how we define patterns or design systems in general. But if we look closer, we can see how a story gives us not only a format we -humans- love and find easy to digest, it also gives us the structure we need to define, organise and maintain patterns.

首先，這似乎與我們通常定義模式或設計系統的方式聯系起來有些困難。 但是，如果我們仔細觀察，我們會發現故事不僅為我們提供了一種人類喜歡且易于消化的格式，而且還為我們提供了定義，組織和維護模式所需的結構。

And now, let’s apply this narrative structure to a documentation hierarchy:

現在，讓我們將此敘述結構應用于文檔層次結構：

這個故事中的教訓 (The lessons in this story)

Like with every story, this is the part where we arrive at a resolution. Understanding patterns as the stories of our system gives us some benefits worth mentioning here as key take-aways:

像每個故事一樣，這是我們達成解決方案的部分。 將模式理解為我們系統的故事會給我們帶來一些好處，在這里值得一提的關鍵要點：

1. It turns the spotlight on documentation. As Nathan Curtis -one of the most important voices in the design systems arena- presented it once: ‘Patterns are made of lots of words’. Thinking of patterns as stories brings the focus to how we tell these stories. Applying this to our design system results on understanding your documentation repositories as the natural place for patterns to live and to evolve.

   它將焦點放在文檔上。 正如設計系統舞臺上最重要的聲音之一內森·柯蒂斯(Nathan Curtis)所說的那樣：“模式是由很多單詞組成的”。 將模式視為故事，將重點放在我們講這些故事的方式上。 將其應用到我們的設計系統中，就可以將您的文檔存儲庫理解為模式生存和發展的自然場所。

2. Just the right format. A narrative structure gives us an excellent format to document and read patterns. Starting with introducing the problem to be solved and its impact (conflict), to the system dependencies (characters of the story), the visuals (climax) and the final guidelines (falling action and resolution).

   正確的格式。 敘事結構為我們提供了記錄和讀取模式的出色格式。 從介紹要解決的問題及其影響(沖突)開始，到系統依存關系(故事的特征)，視覺效果(高潮)和最終準則(下降的行動和解決方案)。

3. It creates a clean-cut between patterns and components. Thinking of patterns as stories put them on a completely different level based on its very nature while preserving their links to components and other elements of the system. This will prevent us from treating patterns as ‘more complex components’, something that can lead to over-complex templates hard to use and maintain.

   它在圖案和組件之間創建了清晰的邊界。 將模式視為故事，根據其性質將它們置于完全不同的級別，同時保留它們與系統組件和其他元素的鏈接。 這將阻止我們將模式視為“更復雜的組件”，這可能會導致難以使用和維護的過于復雜的模板。

4. It brings clarity to our design system. A design system with the right combination of a well-defined structure and a story-based documentation strategy is a more usable system. Easier to read, understand, and adopt by multiple teams and individuals across the organisation.

   它使我們的設計系統更加清晰。 具有良好定義的結構和基于故事的文檔編制策略的正確組合的設計系統是更實用的系統。 組織中的多個團隊和個人更易于閱讀，理解和采用。

Building patterns like we build stories opens the door to create more and better stories, not only about complex solutions but about simpler parts of the system. In the same way, we can enjoy a variety of stories, from long non-fiction projects to short graphic novels, the same could apply to the patterns in our system. Investing in the idea that patterns can explain more than complex problems, allows us to build a well-structured system based on good stories. Among the already mentioned benefits, it also brings a more human touch to an already methodical construction.

像構建故事一樣的構建模式為創建更多更好的故事打開了大門，不僅涉及復雜的解決方案，而且涉及系統的更簡單的部分。 同樣，我們可以欣賞各種各樣的故事，從長篇非小說作品到短篇小說作品，同樣的故事也可以應用于我們系統中的模式。 投資于模式可以解釋的不僅僅是復雜問題的思想，這使我們能夠基于好的故事構建結構良好的系統。 在已經提到的好處中，它還為已經有條不紊的結構帶來了更人性化的感覺。

Disclaimer: In 2017 I wrote an article about storytelling to serve as a word of caution when it comes to discussing and creating stories. Everything I have covered here is an intent to create systems and products that serve better the users. When getting excited about storytelling, always remember: The stories of our system/product are for us -the curators- to write, but for them -our users- to tell.

免責聲明： 2017年， 我寫了一篇有關講故事的文章 ，在討論和創作故事時要謹慎。 我在這里介紹的所有內容都是為了創建可以為用戶提供更好服務的系統和產品。 當對講故事感到興奮時，請始終記住：我們的系統/產品的故事是由我們(策展人)編寫的，但對于他們(我們的用戶)要講的。

Thank you for reading!

感謝您的閱讀！

This article was written with the Writty app??

本文是使用Writty應用編寫的