Introduction

Purpose

WindPants has been built to support our design, development, and writing teams with:

Efficiency & Consistency

Scaling

Principles


Regardless of what you're building with this design system, your goals and outcomes should align with the following principles:


User Focused

NOLS’ mission is focused on serving people and the environment—our design projects must serve real people. We will research and make data-based decisions based on the users’ needs and desires. We will seek out feedback and revise continuously.


Inclusive

It's designed and built to be accessible to all, regardless of ability or situation. Screens and flows must accommodate multiple devices, accessibility standards, and languages. A design that only works for one of these is not complete.


Consistent

Following a shared set of principles and guidelines ensures we create a consistent customer experience and improve the usability of our products. 


Simple

The best options—from creating a splint to building a rock climbing anchor to choosing a backpack—are usually the simplest. Smaller components that can be used and reused in multiple ways to create more complex organisms are preferable to huge symbols with many overrides and variants.


Modular

Building with modularity in mind ensures maximum flexibility in execution. Components of the library are designed to work seamlessly with each other, in whichever combination best suits the needs of the user.


Flexible

Our system must be flexible enough to adapt to different situations—much like leadership styles must adapt to the situation at hand. Every user is different and so is the device and their internet access. The foundation of our system has been designed and built to gracefully adjust to these factors to always offer the best experience possible.


Living

Living things are successful only when carefully cultivated, supported by sustainable processes, and allowed to grow over time. We treat our design system and components as living things that will evolve and change with our product. Nothing is permanent and the team, instead of one single person, owns its success.


Behind the Name


Invented in the early days by legendary seamstress Thelma Young, the NOLS wind pants are the school's signature item of clothing and have changed remarkably little since the early days. 

So, why did we choose the name WindPants for the Design System Manager, a system that's made to be dynamic and responsive?

Wind pants are lightweight.

Windpants are the ideal layer for exploring the wilderness because they pack easily and adapt to a variety of environments. And that's how we want our designs and brand to be, too—flexible, adaptable, and portable. 

Wind pants are durable.

With patches reinforcing high-use areas in the knees and seat, these pants are designed with people's use in mind first, and made to last for the rough patches of wilderness. Our design system also needs to be well-made, put people first, and handle whatever work we throw at it.

They are a NOLS signature piece.

Visible from a long distance, when someone sees these, they know it's NOLS. Each person also has their own signature leadership style, which reflects their unique combination of talents and vision. In the same way, by hosting the NOLS brand, the design system reflects NOLS' unique identity and helps us stake our place in the world.