This package is a set of various stylised visual effects such as explosions, flashes, impact, dusty haze, etc.Download VFX Hit & Impact Asset consists of 23 demo scenes, each of which serves to demonstrate a unique effect and its colour variations. In total, the asset contains 23 FX prefabs with a total

Three decades after its debut in Japan, the Pokmon franchise is firmly entrenched as a cultural juggernaut. Across trading cards, video games, anime, movies, toys, and other merchandise, Pokmon is now a multibillion-dollar business.But in the early 90s, Pokmon was an unknown quantity. Its creators were unsure that the franchise about catching cute, pocket-sized monsters would resonate with an audience outside of Japan. Tsunekazu Ishihara, CEO of The Pokmon Company, said in a 2000 interview that he gave the franchise a one-in-10 chance of appealing to overseas customers.This week on Polygon, were looking at how cultural differences affect media in a special issue were calling Culture Shock.In that same interview, Ishihara tells a wild story: When he tried to pitch Pokmon to colleagues at Nintendo of America, he was told the existing creatures were too cute. Ishihara was presented with an embarrassing alternative by his Western colleagues: a version of Pikachu that looked like a tiger with huge breasts.We just couldnt believe the kind of stuff they were proposing, Ishihara said.This anecdote about Pikachu, a child-friendly mascot, being reimagined as a tiger with huge breasts has been covered widely, including in Time magazine and popular YouTube channel Did You Know Gaming. Pokmon fans have understandably balked at the idea of a Pikachu with a hefty bosom, and some have argued that Ishiharas comments have been misinterpreted.Fans point to comments from other executives at Nintendo and The Pokmon Company to theorize what was actually being suggested by the Americans in the 1990s: a more monstrous Pikachu with big, muscular pecs.In the years after that Ishihara interview, former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata recounted a similar tale about the early days of bringing Pokmon outside of Japan. In 2008, he said during an investor Q&A that when Pokmon characters were shown to Nintendo employees in the West, those people responded, Something this cute cant be called a monster. Monsters should be muscular and more terrifying. Iwata recalled seeing a picture of a muscular Pikachu, which he said he would have been ashamed to show the people who created Pokmon.This cute yellow thing is not a monster, everyone told us, Iwata later recalled of Pikachus reception to reporters in 2014, according to the Wall Street Journal. He said that he and then-Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi were shown mock-ups of a muscular Pikachu, and advised that only a complete redrawing would make the Pokmon game sell.Gail Tilden, a former executive at Nintendo of America, told me that she was aware that NOAs marketing agency was worried about the too cute, too Japanese look of Pokmon. During the 90s, that agency proposed a look that had graffiti elements, she said, that would have given Pokmon an edgier style that aligned with the more aggressive, Play It Loud! marketing of Nintendo products at the time. She was unaware of rejected attempts to give Pikachu big boobs.The original exchange between Ishihara and his interviewer, however, includes additional details about what he was shown in the early 90sdetails that often get left out in retellings of this wild yarn. Ishihara compared the tiger cat with big breasts hed seen to a character from the musical Cats, specifically from Japans Shiki Theatre Company, which has been producing that show for more than 30 years now. Furthermore, the person conducting the interview with Ishihara asked for clarification about what he meant by tiger cat with big breasts.Was it like something a woman would cosplay at [Japanese comic convention] Comiket? the interviewer asked.Thats right, Ishihara said, and this was something that was really proposed. For me, it might be fun to enjoy the differences between cultures, but we didnt think this was something we could go with. [] So, we decided that we wouldnt alter any of the graphics. If we had agreed to changing Pikachu, we wouldnt be where we are now.As ridiculous as it may seem, it appears that the people who created Pokmon and helped bring it to audiences worldwide may have been presented with two design proposals meant to appeal to American audiences: a fearsome and muscular Pikachu, and a slightly sexualized one. Thankfully, neither passed The Pokmon Companys smell test.Polygon reached out to The Pokmon Company for official clarification on Ishiharas original comments about a large-chested Pikachu and to ask if we can finally see the illustrations that the American marketing teams proposed but have not yet heard back.While Pikachus design has evolved slightly over the years to be a bit slimmer, the iconic Pokmon has never officially veered into muscular or terrifying redesigns. And only in the dark corners of the internet does Pikachu have boobs.

From an early age Amanda Leigh had an affinity for art, and she was intrigued by residences of various styles. She was also a volunteer for the Appalachia Service Project, which provides home repairs and replacements for income-eligible families. Yet no matter what other interests captured her attention, she always found her way back to A&D.A New York native, Leigh once owned a restaurant in the city, but soon realized that she had a greater connection to the design aspect of owning a restaurant than she did to the industry as a whole. It was when she completed a project from start to finish that Leigh realized what her true calling was. From the point where I did my first restoration and remodel, independent from any clients decisions or outside bias, I knew it was something I wanted to do forever, she says.Taylor Hahn + Amanda Leigh of House of Rolison \\\ Photo: Jenna BurkeIn 2022, Leigh founded the Los Angeles-based House of Rolison with Taylor Hahn, her partner in business and life. A design and development firm, the duo finds forgotten houses and restores each one to its intended beauty. They are known for creating spaces that push the boundaries of innovation and capture the essence of upscale living. Leigh celebrates her love of unexpected and bespoke living, and some of her favorites are decommissioned firehouses like the one owned by Spike Lee.As managing partners, Leigh and Hahn mix vintage elements with contemporary pieces that feel curated and sophisticated. They constantly strive to impart a signature luxury aesthetic that cannot be recreated elsewhere.Whether Leigh is reimagining a Spanish Colonial property or a bungalow, she credits Hahn with providing unparalleled support that has shaped how she approaches her work. Taylor inspires me, and has changed my outlook creatively, Leigh notes. Our company would not be what it is if it wasnt for our collaborative differences and our love as a whole.Today, Amanda Leigh joins us for Friday Five!Fuller Building The Flatiron, New York, 1910 by Irving Underhill \\\ Retrieved from the Library of Congress1. The Flatiron BuildingThe Flatiron building is an incredible piece of New York City architecture. I have spent most of my adult life in New York City, and couldnt help but be drawn to the history of this beauty. Veronica Mainetti of Sorgente group has bought back the building in pieces to restore it to residential use and I couldnt be happier about this endeavor!Photo: Courtesy of Addison2. Addison in San DiegoLast January we took a trip to the Grand Del Mar in San Diego, to celebrate Taylors birthday, where we made a point to check out the beautiful restaurant, Addison. I was blown away by the flavors, thoughtful choreography and their chef William Bradley is fantastic. He is a designer in his own right, and his canvas just happens to be edible. He invited us to tour us through his newly renovated kitchen and who knew Dekton could look so gorgeous.Ross Farm \\\ Photo: Lachlan Moore, courtesy of Studio Moore3. StaircasesI have always been fascinated by staircases. They can have such a whimsical presence and the dance between engineering and design is so beautiful and diverse. Even something so industrial with such rigid materials like the one in this photo can have such a delicate nature.Photo: Courtesy of Konstruction Group Inc.4. FramingFraming is an art, and master framers and carpenters are undervalued. How captivating are the details of this groin vault? The amount of time it takes to block through all those details is such a strong reminder to look around and take more in.Photo: Courtesy of Sothebys5. 427 CobraI grew up tinkering with cars and motorcycles and have developed a strong fascination with how they work. The 427 Cobra is one of the most recognizable and iconic cars in American history. I have such an affinity for this vehicle, although an original will run you between 1 to 2 million dollars, if you could even find one.Projects by House of Rolison:Photo: Gavin CaterWe love the family room at our Roscomare property. We used the color Cottage White from Dunn Edwards, which really brought the space to life and the large sliding doors add in beautiful natural sunlight. Brands shown include: Dunn Edwards Paint, VESTAK, Olive AteliersPhoto: Nils TimmThe kitchen at Lloydcrest is one of our favorite kitchens. We used a crema marfil marble with a curved fluted edge to give movement to the rook. Mixing paint and stain grade cabinetry helps the room feel grounded and warm. We used an Ilve stove, a bold light fixture, and Lo and Cos Viola Hardware to bring fresh energy to this space. Brands shown include: Plank Hardware, Ilve Stone, Lo and Co.Photo: Nils TimmOur primary suite at our Bluebird property. We repurposed the space to the right of the fireplace as a lounge/den for a relaxed feel. We curated pieces from The Expert, Olive Ateliers, Soho Home, and other sourced antiques, which helped us juxtapose old with new. The combination of cedar wood ceilings mirrored to hardwood white oak flooring makes you feel like youre enveloped in warmth. Brands include: The Expert, Olive Ateliers, Soho HomePhoto: Nils TimmOur blue bathroom at Bluebird. This bathroom exudes an old-world European feel. We started with the vision of the arched bathtub. We wanted to bring in not only color, but shape and texture. We have so many moving elements in one room creating a monochromatic space thats filled with soul and dynamic. Brands include: Restoration Hardware, Zia Tile, Portola PaintsPhoto: Gavin CaterOur beautiful Coldwater kitchen. This home is surrounded by the scenery and beauty of a Los Angeles canyon. We wanted to capture the essence of nature and art in this space. We used two tones of stone to make the back counters stand out and the warmth of wood cabinetry to make the room feel soulful. Hardware by Kingston Brass.

What were the discussions and suggestions proposed by the international community in2024?Image: Cottonbro Studios.Many designers and developers care about accessibility in digital products, as pointed out by Forrester in the Config 2024 analysis. The desire is there, but its not always possible to implement accessibility systematically and at scale in daily practice. Why? We lack time and study, and theres an overwhelming amount of content toconsume.In 2024, more than 40 resources on Accessibility in Design Systems were published in English, totaling over 12 hours of videos and podcasts. This volume is no coincidence: creating accessible and scalable interfaces is a challenge that goes beyond the conventional digital accessibility debate. Deep questions are being raised, such as: What does scalable accessibility in digital products truly mean? What is Shift Left, and how can an accessible DS evolve? Is it possible to have control within a team and document all accessibility tests in aDS?Who can absorb so much content without getting lost along the way? The truth is that, by trying to keep up with so much information, we end up consuming only a fraction and fail to get a panoramic view of the key debates. With that in mind, I decided to create this retrospective, analyzing all these resources to identify the main insights and discussions that shaped the pastyear.The idea is simple: to offer an overview that helps us understand whats currently on the agenda when it comes to accessibility in Design Systems. What progress has been made? Which questions remain unanswered? Where can we dive deeper into specifictopics?This text is an invitation to that conversationless about what we already know and more about what we are still discovering as a community. Feel free to contact me via my LinkedIn for any type of feedback.SectionsMethodologyWhy Design Systems for Accessibility?What Is Accessibility in DesignSystems?How to Evolve an Accessible DesignSystem?How to Test an Accessible DesignSystem?How to Organize Accessibility Tests?How to DocumentTests?1. MethodologyBefore diving into the discussions, lets take a look at the methodology behind this study to understand what was said in the international community about Accessibility and Design Systems in2024.If youd rather skip this part, feel free to jump straight to the next section to see the research results. But if youre interested in how the data was gathered, take your time to go through this step-by-step breakdown.Steps of the 2024 retrospective systematic review.All data collection was conducted through a systematic review of educational materials published on two intersecting topics: Design Systems and Accessibility.Before starting the material collection, every systematic review must establish an objective. The goal of this retrospective was to understand the discussions surrounding the challenges of building accessible digital products, particularly through Design Systems. This is a specific topic within the UX Design and development field that generates a large volume of content every year, allowing for retrospectives to identify key debates that took place over an extended period, such as ayear.Any retrospective review needs to be transparent about how its data collection and analysis were conducted to avoid privileging certain documents over others. Below are the basic inclusion and exclusion criteria for the materials collected in thisstudy:The content had to be published in2024.The material needed to be in English, as the goal was to provide an overview of the international scenario as comprehensively as possible.The material had to have an educational purpose to capture the challenges shared with the community. Educational materials were understood as: articles (informal and non-academic), podcasts, or videos created/published by industry experts addressing the topic. Therefore, this article does not review other types of materials, such as accessibility documentation within Design Systems published in 2024. If youre interested in this type of documentation, check out the example of the Carbon Design System. Although essential as reference points, such documentation is often very specific to an organizations guidelines and lacks the broader professional debate found in educational publications.Materials had to be free of access restrictions. Due to copyright constraints, paid educational materialssuch as course content or subscription-only articleswere not analyzed or cited. Furthermore, its worth noting that such paid content was not found in abundance during the searches conducted.Based on these criteria, the search terms used were Design System and Accessibility in major search tools similar to Google. An exploratory analysis was also conducted with additional terms, such as Design System and Blindness or Design System and Neurodivergency. However, no significant number of relevant materials from 2024 was found using these terms. As a result, it was deemed unnecessary to search for more specific terms beyond Accessibility to conduct this retrospective discussion.Finally, for full transparency, you can find all the materials collected at the end of the article in the references section. The most notable ones are cited with links throughout the text. Some materials, while not explicitly mentioned in the article, were analyzed and contributed to the broader arguments found across multiple resources.Is it clear how this review was carefully conducted to ensure we didnt miss anything on this topic? If so, lets move on to the synthesis of thedebate.2. Why Design Systems for Accessibility?Before diving into the details, its worth taking a moment to reflect: why are Design Systems increasingly seen as an effective path to improving digital product accessibility? The answer begins with three words: speed, consistency, and technical accuracy.Quote from Cntia Romero about the use of accessible components. Source: Supernova, 2024.In a scenario where digital interfaces are becoming increasingly complex, a well-structured Design System is like a compass that keeps accessibility on the right track. Tyler Hawkins, software engineer at Webflow, summarizes this idea well: each component needs to meet a series of technical criteria to be accessible to different audiences. Without a solid and centralized foundation, this can turn into chaos, especially in companies that manage multiple products simultaneously.This scalability is also discussed for the creation of more customizable platforms. Several materials argue that platforms built with Design Tokens help create specific themes for certain communities with some type of disability. One example of this can be found in Georgi Georgievs (designer at PROS in Bulgaria) text about the creation of high contrast modes (High Contrast Modes) from Design Systemsa dark theme that differs from the common Dark Mode by being intended for users with some kind of visual impairment or photosensitivity (sensitivity tolight).As expected due to the debates of the past decades, this scalability is widely defended with the application of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as an international guideline. This is because the WCAG provides research-based requirements that must be met by objective and measurable criteria to assess the success or failure in creating an accessible digital product. Many professionals highlighted the historical role of the WCAG in creating a common language capable of internationally standardizing the legal accessibility requirements for digital productsa reflection of the transition from digital accessibility being a recommendation to an obligation in many countries in the last decade. In 2024, several governmental DSs advanced in their compliance processes with the WCAG guidelines, driven by national legal requirementssuch as the United States Web Design System (USWDS) in the United States and the NL Design System in the Dutch government.However, a challenge in achieving this standardization is discussed by Amy Cole (Digital Accessibility Lead at USWDS): many designers and developers fear WCAG because it is a very technical language. This fear stands out as a major obstacle, fueling a widespread call for more accessible educational materials and dedicated accessibility study groups to foster awareness within organizations. It is not trivial that, along with the WCAG, supplementary tools are always mentioned to assist in this challenge, such as the IBM Equal Access Toolkit, the Microsofts Inclusive Design Toolkit, The A11y Project, and DequeSystems.Therefore, having a DS also helps in this process of conformation, as the team can create cascading processes that start with specialists and reach professionals who are not specialized in accessibility more smoothly.But, all of this depends on what is understood by accessibility and technical compliance3. What Is Accessibility in DesignSystems?Daniel Henderson-Ede (Accessibility Specialist at Pinterest) brings an important reflection: accessibility goes beyond ensuring that a component is technically compliant with the WCAG. He explains that, although accessible components are key pieces to start an accessible interface properly, the complete puzzle only forms when the experience as a whole is considered. A classic example of this is the focus order in an interface: if the components are not organized logically, keyboard navigation becomes frustrating, even if each individual piece meets the standards.Diagram on Technical Compliance and Inclusive Design. Source: Author of the text,2024.For this reason, one of the biggest debates that permeates the construction of an accessible DS is about the understanding of what accessibility really is. Cintia Romero (designer at Pinterest) describes that this accessibility tied to the WCAG guidelines is just an initial technical compliance. This does not imply that compliance is not essential, but she points out something important that many professionals brought up in 2024: mere adherence to standards does not necessarily mean meeting the real needs of these usergroups.Thats why she highlights Inclusive Design, alongside technical compliance, as a key approach within Design Systemsensuring a more human-centered and holistic perspective in interface testing. Here, accessibility is integrated into User-Centered Design methodologies, ensuring that multiple usage scenarios for diverse users are thoughtfully considered. Complementing this view, Hidde de Vries (Accessibility Specialist at NLDS in the Netherlands) proposes that, instead of treating disability as a personal limitation to be mitigatedwhat would be a medical model of thinking , we should adopt the social model of accessibility, which makes us consider the social context around a person with some condition.To understand how to approach this social responsibility, Greg Weinstein (designer at CVS Health) helps us by mentioning that an Inclusive Design System is also connected to intersectionality a concept borrowed from authors such as Kimberl Crenshaw (1989). This concept is used to show that different characteristics (such as race, class, sexualityor even different types of coexisting disabilities) overlap and interact, creating particular experiences. Thus, it is not just the screen reader (or any other technology) that needs to work well in this more holistic perspective! It may be necessary to think about the elderly person with low vision who also needs simple interfaces due to their age. Or, as another example, it may be necessary to consider the low-income user with hearing loss who faces financial difficulties in purchasing moderndevices.In the end, this conversation shows that a Design System goes beyond ensuring perfect compliance in isolated components. It provides the foundation to achieve this compliance systematically, but its true value lies in allowing it to deepen and expand over time. It is about testing solutions in real contexts, with real people. It is a continuous process of evolution, where technique inevitably meets humanity.4. How Do You Evolve an Accessible DesignSystem?Youve probably heard the saying that accessibility only truly works when its considered from the very beginning of the processan approach known as ShiftLeft.Simon Mateljans analogy comparing cakes and Design Systems. Source: UXCamp Australia, 2024.Simon Mateljan (Design Manager at Atlassian) makes a simple and effective analogy: creating accessibility in a Design System is like adding eggs to a cake recipe. If you forget that ingredient at the beginning, the final result will never turn out as expected. This logic makes sense, as ensuring accessibility from the start helps permeate it through all stages of development. But the debates of 2024 showed that this journey is far from linear! There is no perfect starting pointthe process is continuous and full of adjustments.Sophie Beaumont (Design System Team Lead at BBC) shows how Shift Left can happen in the evaluation of component reuse across different contexts. She describes a case where the BBC team tried to reuse an existing component to create a content timeline. Although the Design System already had a visually similar component to what the team had designed, it did not meet accessibility requirements in the new context. After internal discussions and technical evaluations, the team concluded that forcing the use of the old component would harm the experience for users with disabilities.This decision led BBC to strengthen a work process that prioritizes functionality over appearance when evaluating component usage. This work process is crucial to prevent a Design System from creating rigidity, making accessibility harder rather than improving it. In addition to this, Feli Bernutz (iOS Developer at Spotify) presents The Game Plan (timestamp: 16:55)a work methodology that evaluates when to use a ready-made solution and when to think outside the box to create something more customizable.UX Design draft for accessibility assessment. Source: Sophie Beaumont, BBC,2024.Furthermore, unforeseen issues can create unexpected needs, going beyond the simple creation of new components. One example of this is Pinterest, which allows users to add alternative texts (Alt Text) when creating Pins. This open and collaborative content model presents unique challenges for accessibility, as many users either do not create descriptions or produce poor-quality AltText.Due to the platforms design, Pinterest cannot simply impose rigid limitations to ensure Alt Text consistency. Instead, the team invests in educating users by offering clear instructions through interface components on how to create useful and contextualized descriptions. This process shows that, in certain cases, it is necessary to adapt the technical guidelines of the WCAG to the specificities of each digitalservice.Therefore, many statements from 2024 emphasized that mistakes are part of the Design System creation process, especially in contexts where needs vary as the product matures. Even in the Encore Design System at Spotify (a product of huge scale), the approach is iterative: rather than pursuing a perfect solution from the start, the team seeks progressive improvements at each step, climbing one step at a time. At the UXCon in Vienna, Join Wendy explains that the creation of inaccessible DSs at the beginning does not mean the end of the processit may, in fact, be the beginning of understanding particular challenges.So, how to balance all of this? On one hand, Shift Left suggests that accessibility should be a concern from the very beginning. On the other hand, the continuous discovery process reveals specific needs that require adjustments and adaptations. In the end, building an accessible Design System is less about achieving a perfect state and more about staying open to learn, test, and constantly improve.5. How to Test an Accessible DesignSystem?Because of everything that has been said so far, it is clear that an accessible Design System is not born readyit is a continuous construction, refined over time and, mainly, through many tests. But, given the complexity of creating truly inclusive interfaces, the question arises: what kind of testing needs to be done to achieve thisgoal?Diagram showing automated testing (speed) versus manual testing (depth). Source: Author,2024.In 2024, the debate about accessibility in digital products highlights the importance of automated testing (and the possible use of AI), especially in Design Systems that are already implemented at the code level. Tools like Axe, Lighthouse, and other automated solutions are gaining ground as major allies in this process. And, in fact, it would be naive to underestimate their importance: they offer speed in identifying common errors and helping teams achieve compliance standards.Moreover, in a Figma live session, Luis Ouriach (Designer Advocate at Figma) and Daniel Henderson-Ede (Accessibility Specialist at Pinterest) emphasized that native apps, such as those developed for iOS and Android, present unique challenges. Unlike the web, where standards like HTML and ARIA provide a solid foundation, native platforms have specific toolkits, such as UIKit on iOS and Jetpack Compose on Android. This fragmentation requires teams to adapt their practices to ensure accessibility across different environments.Daniel also pointed out that validation tools for native apps are less integrated into the development flow. While solutions like Axe and Lighthouse work directly on the web, mobile apps rely on tools like Xcode Accessibility Inspector or Accessibility Scanner, which, although useful, have limitations and do not easily connect to the continuous development process. To address these challenges, the recommendation is to incorporate platform-specific tests and train teams on the nuances of each technologyrequiring the development of tailored testing and documentation processes within a DesignSystem.However, there are clear limits to this approach, as reminded by the WebFlow article, which showed that automated tests can only identify about 30% of accessibility issues. This limitation brings us to a crucial point that was mentioned by the vast majority of materials from 2024: automation does not replace the human eye. Manual testing and, especially, interaction with real users are indispensable to understanding the practical experiencesomething that automated reports cannotcapture.That being said, it is evident why so many materials are dedicated to explaining how to create accessibility tests, also highlighting the challenges of developing proper documentation to accompany and control this continuous process of evolution.6. How to Organize Accessibility Tests?Many materials suggest starting with the adoption or creation of checklists. Depending on the content in question, checklists can be filled out after manual tests or automated tests. Here, the debate is less about the testing technique and more about how to systematize the organization of these tests within ateam.Amy Cole, from the US Web Design System (USWDS), sees checklists as bridges between what is in the manuals (such as WCAG) and what actually happens when a user navigates a product. These guides serve as scripts that allow even less specialized teams to engage in practical testing with real users. Therefore, the checklist is discussed here not only as a tool for systematizing tests but also as a process of inclusion for those who feel disconnected from the WCAG criteria due to its technical language. This is why the USWDS team suggests questions like:Can the button be activated with the Enter key or the spacebar?Is the focus clearly visible in all buttonstates?The suggestion is to create these questions with various teams, including specialists and allowing for a collaborative and multidisciplinary view. Here, the USWDS material highlights the importance of having control through documentation to understand which WCAG criteria have been considered with each of the suggested questions.Wendy Fox, at UXCon Vienna, complements this view by discussing the importance of conducting audits to go beyond generic checklists that would apply to any scenario. A link in a dynamic carousel, for example, cannot be evaluated the same way as a static link in a text. For this reason, she advocates for personalized checklists that consider the uniqueness of each component: for a button, this might mean checking if there are visible focus states; for a modal, ensuring that keyboard navigation flows naturally. These are criteria that not only ensure compliance but also make the experience more fluid and respectful for those who rely on assistive technologies.Amy Hupe and Geri Reid, from the UK Government Digital Service (GDS), emphasize that these checklists need to consider the tools users employ. Here, different tests are suggested, such as: 1) keyboard access; 2) zoom/magnification; 3) screen readers like NVDA and JAWS; 4) eye trackers. These are suggested by the designers as a guide to understanding accessibility beyond a generic and general concept, potentially including technology type by device. Since there are many different disabilities and contexts to consider, tests can indicate which assistive technologies have more support in the Design System and which still need to evolve to create a better experience.Additionally, its important to note that most materials stress the importance of speaking with real users in qualitative research. Still, I emphasize that this remains the least discussed topic in all the 2024 materials, as much of the focus is still on the individual pieces of the Design System rather than on testing the assembled interface already presented to endusers.7. How to DocumentTests?One of the biggest challenges is the documentation of accessibility tests that allow the evolution of an accessible Design System. Its not trivial that some of the 2024 materials go in-depth into the challenges of constructing and maintaining these tests overtime.You can work with both accessibility documentation in design (using Figma as a recording space) and documentation of general tests carried out on already developed interfaces, which typically takes place in Excel spreadsheets, GitHub or on Design System websites. Theres no consensus on which of these documents is the most relevant, but different professionals defend the proposals, considering their different purposes.In Pinterests Gestalt, Cintia Romero exposed that theres an integration of checklists directly into Figma as a way to bring designers closer to accessibility practice. According to a case study by Deque, 67% of accessibility issues occur due to errors in design prototypes! This data debunks the idea that tests and accessibility documentation should only occur at the development level. For this reason, some platforms have this documentation within Figma itself so that the handoff of products is in compliance with accessibility standards before moving on to code-level tests.This documentation is often later transferred to the component page on the Design System website, as we can see next in the case ofGestalt.Accessibility documentation for the Button component from Gestalt, Pinterests Design System. Source: Supernova, 2024.This is a more concise documentation proposal. Other projects opt for much more robust and detailed documentation, containing success criteria and the type of test conducted (including which assistive technology is involved). This is the challenge faced by the USWDS team, which organizes test data (manual and automated) for all the components of their Design System. To do this, the team uses a spreadsheet that contains:Component Name: The name of the component beingaudited.WCAG Success Criterion: The specific criterion being tested, such as 1.4.4 Resize Text or 2.1.1 Keyboard Accessibility.Compliance Level: The WCAG compliance level (A, AA, orAAA).Test Type: Whether the test is related to keyboard, zoom, screen readers, design, or anotheraspect.Test Status: Whether the test passed, failed, or passed with exceptions.Additional Description: Details on how the test was conducted and what the developer should observe. There are three columns titled When you, And, and This Happens that allow you to explain a success or failurecase.Automated Test Prompt (if applicable): Exposure of the test prompt for control over how the testing was conducted.Audit Date: The date the test was conducted and revalidated to control results and possible WCAGupdates.Other columns for Notes and Common Failures: Observations on common issues found during testing, including contributions reported via the projects GitHub.Amy Cole (USWDS) displaying accessibility test documentation tables for the US Governments Design System. Timestamp: 25 minutes. Source: NL Design System Channel, YouTube,2024.In both cases, there are very important challenges highlighted in these materials. In the case of USWDS, Amy Cole explains that component re-audits are regularly carried out to understand if new scenarios need to be consideredsuch as, for example, changes in browsers for web components. Also, there may be changes in assistive technology used by a group of people, requiring new tests without losing the old documentation.Another point of attention is tests that go beyond the components themselves, as Fable comments in an article on different levels of accessibility testing in a Design System. If we find errors in the relationship between components (even though the components themselves are compliant), where and how can I document these problems? Or, if a user with a disability offers a perspective beyond what we understand as accessibility with WCAG, where can I give voice to this audience?I believe these are the challenges that, as a community, we are still figuringout.Did you enjoy accessing the content of this retrospective? Feel free to contact me via my LinkedIn for any type of feedback.ReferencesAPPFORCE. Designing APIs: How to ensure Accessibility in Design System components. AppForce, YouTube.BEAUMONT, Sophie. Shifting left: how introducing accessibility earlier helps the BBCs designsystem.BEDASSE, Kristen. Design System AccessibilityUX Case Study: Accessibility improvements to an existing designsystem.BHAWALKAR, Gina. My Takeaways From Config 2024: Impacts On Design Systems, Storytelling, And Accessibility. Forrester, 2024..BIKKANI, Aditya. A guide to accessible design system. AELData,2024.CODE AND THEORY. 3 Principles to Build an Engineered Design System that Improves Speed, Consistency, and Accessibility. Medium,2024.CODE AND THEORY. How to create an accessible design system in 60 days. Medium,2024.CONVEYUX. Greg WeinsteinInclusive user research to build an accessible design system. ConveyUX, YouTube,2024.CUELLO, Javier. Accessible Components. Design Good Practices, 2024.DEQUE SYSTEMS. Making Pinterest more inclusive through design systemsaxe-con 2023. Deque Systems, YouTube,2024.DIGITALGOV. Component-based accessibility tests for the U.S. Web Design System. DigitalGov, YouTube,2024.FABLE. Power up your design system with accessibility testing. Fable,2024.FIGMA. In the file: Design Systems and Accessibility | Figma. Figma, YouTube,2024.FRONTEND ENGINEERING & DESIGN SOUTH AFRICA (FEDSA). The NL Design System And Why Accessibility MattersHidde de Vries. FEDSA, YouTube,2024.GEORGIEV, Georgi. The importance of high contrast mode in a design system. Pros,2024.GET STARK. How to use your design system colors to fix accessibility issues with Stark in Figma and the browser. Get Stark,2024.HAWKINS, Tyler. Scaling accessibility at Webflow. Webflow,2024.HI INTERACTIVE. UX and design systems in retail: inclusivity, accessibility, and innovationHi Talks #10. Hi Interactive, YouTube,2024.INTO DESIGN SYSTEMS. Design systems accessibility meetupComponent review. Into Design Systems, YouTube,2024.INTO DESIGN SYSTEMS. Design tokens sets for accessibility needsMarcelo Paiva at Into Design Systems Conference. Into Design Systems, YouTube,2024.JOER, Jairus. Develop design systems with accessibility in mind. Aggregata, 2024.KNAPSACK. Making design systems inclusive with accessibility specialist Daniel Henderson-Ede. Knapsack, Youtube,2024.KORNOVSKA, Diyana. Building accessibility into design systems. Resolute Software, 2024.LAGO, Ernesto. Accessibility Best Practices for Design Systems. LinkedIn, 2024.LAGO, Ernesto. An Intro to Accessibility in Design Systems. LinkedIn, 2024..LAMBATE, Fahad. Designing for inclusivity: the Shift Left approach towards accessible design systems (ADS). Barrier Break,2024.LYNN, Jamie. Accessible design systems. Jamie Lynn Design,2024.MILLER, Lindsay. The importance of accessibility in design systems. Font Awesome,2024.NL DESIGN SYSTEM. Using USWDS accessibility tests to improve accessibilityAmy ColeDesign Systems Week 2024. NL Design System, YouTube,2024.ROMERO, Cintia. Accessibility in design systems: a comprehensive approach through documentation and assets. Supernova, 2024.STANKOVIC, Darko. Accessibility in Design Systems. Balkan Bros,2024.TESTDEVLAB. QualityForge: Speaker #5: Adrin BolonioDesign systems and how to use them in an accessible way. TestDevLab, YouTube,2024.UNIVERSAL DESIGN THEORY. Creating an accessible design system. Universal Design Theory,2024.UXCAMP AUSTRALIA. Simon Mateljan | Baking accessibility into your design system. UXCamp Australia, YouTube,2024.UXCON VIENNA. (In)accessible design systems: doing things wrong to get it rightWendy Foxuxcon Vienna 2023. UxCon Vienna, YouTube,2024.VAUGHAN, Maggie. Essential principles of accessible design systems. Dubbot,2024.WEBAIM. Homer Gaines: Improving accessibility through design systems. WebAIM, YouTube,2024.ZEROHEIGHT. Back to school with Amy Hupe & Geri Reid: Accessibility and design systems. Zeroheight, YouTube,2024.Design systems and accessibilitya 2024 retrospective was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Replacing X is an ongoing project. Bluesky is currently the network growing the fastest, but both Threads and Mastodon have had growth spurts in the past few years. If you're like me, there are people you want to follow in all three places.Luckily, there are ways to do this. We've talked about how to connect Mastodon and Bluesky, and how to follow Threads users from Mastodon. Both of those solutions, however, depend on the people you want to follow actively enabling or setting up an integration, and even then only kind of work. OpenVibe is, for most people, a better answer at this point.This free application for iOS and Android lets you sign into Mastodon, Bluesky, and Threads, among other services, allowing you to scroll through posts and notifications from all those services in one place. When you install the application, you're asked to sign into your accounts for every service you want to use. From there, you can scroll through a combined timeline. A badge will let you know which network a given post is coming from and you can like, boost, and reply to posts just like you would if you were in the native app. Credit: Justin Pot There are some obvious potential complications here. For one thing: if you follow the same person on three networks, you might see duplicate posts, depending on whether the people you're following tend to cross-post. And you can't cross re-postthat is, there's no streamlined way to share a Threads post with your Bluesky followers. Still, it's nice to be able to browse everything at once.And there's support for more than just the combined timeline: you can add a combined Trending timeline that pulls from all your social networks, browse your Bluesky Discover feed, or scroll through the local timeline of your Mastodon server. You can write posts and publish them on all the social networks you've added. You can also disable posting to a certain account if you'd rather be a lurker on that network. Credit: Justin Pot This application isn't perfect. There's no desktop version, for one thing, even though I was able to install the iPad version on my Mac. And using it requires a lot of actively thinking about which network you're interacting with. Even so, if you're tired of switching between three different social apps, it's worth a try.

A much-awaited feature is coming to the Pokmon TCG Pocket app sometime this month: Trading. In the game, which The Pokmon Company brought to mobile late last year, players can collect cards by opening digital booster packs. They can then use the Pokmon cards they get to battle each other. When the trading feature goes live, they'll also be able to improve their decks by trading with other people, though the feature will come with a set of limitations.Players will only be able to trade cards with their friends, and the cards must be of the same rarity. Both criteria potentially limit the cards players can obtain. To note, the game has eight rarity levels, and cards from the three highest tiers the ones most difficult to draw cannot be traded for now. In addition, The Pokmon Company has revealed that "items must be consumed in order to trade," though it didn't specify what those items are and how many will be expended per transaction. Finally, while only certain cards from the Genetic Apex and Mythical Island booster packs can be traded at launch, the company said that it's planning to expand the pack selection players can trade from.There's no specific release date for trading yet, but the company seems to be open to suggestions when it comes to improving the feature. It's inviting everyone to try the feature and send in feedback when it becomes available, so that "the game can continue to evolve in an enjoyable way for everyone."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/card-trading-is-coming-to-the-pokemon-tcg-app-133009689.html?src=rss

Researchers recently discovered multiple bugs in different tunneling protocols.

Bitcoin rejoined the crypto rally amid reports that President-elect Donald Trump could release an executive order on crypto as soon as day 1.

Democracy no longer dies in darkness, apparently. As far as the Washington Post seems concerned, it might very well lurch slowly toward the great beyond right in broad daylight.According to the New York Times, the Post has adopted a new internal mission statement for the direction of its journalism: Riveting Storytelling for All of America. Its a far cry from the official slogan the newspaper adopted early in Donald Trumps first term: the goth-tinged, pugilistic Democracy Dies in Darkness. Although that slogan, drawing on the Posts history of power-checking stories such as its Watergate expos, will reportedly remain in print (for now), the new mission statement augurs a whole new trajectory. And not just for one newspaper either.The Washington Post has been previewing just such a turn for months. Since owner Jeff Bezos quashed an editorial endorsing Kamala Harris in late October, the paper has shed at least a quarter-million subscribers and lost several marquee writers, including Josh Dawsey and Jennifer Rubin, along with Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes, who resigned after one of her political sketches was rejected. (The proposed sketch, which depicted Bezos kneeling before Trump, offering large sacks of money, later went viral on Telnaess Substack.) The change in the mission statement, a paean to false-togetherness with a dash of All Lives Matter-style equality, represents a broader shift than the Posts editorial direction.Its evident in city streets, for instance, where the massive resistance following Trumps election in 2016 is now largely absent. Protests erupted in New York and Washington, D.C., during the weekend after last falls election, but that energy has not been sustained. Nothing on the scale of the historic Womens March in early 2017 appears in the works this time either. A Peoples March is scheduled in D.C. and elsewhere for January 18, but even if it managed to draw anywhere near the nearly half a million people who flocked to D.C. in 2017, its doubtful it would grab much attention now.Trumps election in 2016 sent shock waves throughout the nation. He lost the popular vote by nearly three million, and so thoroughly bucked the traditional qualifications for a U.S. president, his coronation felt, to many, like an aberration. Many social media users, live performers, and even the leaders of some organizations seemed to operate from an adversarial positionthe #Resistancein part because Trump acted so antagonistic toward those who opposed him. At the time, animosity toward the president was loud, proud, and just about everywhere.Not so much anymore.This time, Trump not only enjoyed an electoral college victory but won the popular vote as well (by little more than two million). Most people who voted against him a third time now understand that their neighbors across the country, who also experienced the years 2017-2020 and everything that followed, decided they wanted Trump back. His presence in the White House is no longer an aberration. Judging from the deflated protest presence and the general vibe on social media, Trumps critics either feel beaten down or they just know the drill by now. It may have felt bizarre in 2017 when the President of the United States made an enormous fuss about crowd size at his inauguration. This time, its just expected.Several elected officials have reacted differently to Trumps second election win than they did his first. As Politico reported in January 2017: In legislative proposals, campaign promises, donor pitches, and even in some Senate hearings, Democrats have opted for a hard-line, give-no-quarter posture, a reflection of a seething party base that will have it no other way. This time around, the opposition party seems chastened, adopting a less confrontational tone and professing a willingness to work together on shared priorities.Beyond the general public and their representatives, the difference in the corporate response is even more pronounced this time. The CEO of Coca-Cola recently presented Trump with a commemorative Diet Coke bottle to welcome him back to power, a nod to Trumps storied love of the beverage. Just four years ago, the company issued a statement describing January 6 as an offense to the ideals of American democracy. Its CEO has apparently since changed his mind. And hes joined by a cavalcade of corporate overlords, many in Big Tech, who are donating big money to Trumps inauguration fund. On the list, heads of Google, Apple, Microsoft, and many others.Among those who have loudly expressed their openness to Trump is Bezos, whose Amazon recently acquired a documentary about Melania Trump for $40 million. Theres also Metas Mark Zuckerberg, who recently made an Elon Musk-like pivot away from fact-checking on Facebook and has reportedly taken several meetings with Trump advisor Stephen Miller. Bezos and Zuckerberg were both vocal critics of Trump during his first term; now, theyre both joining him on the dais at his inauguration. (Everybody wants to be my friend, Trump has said of his new Big Tech supporters, though in his just-released inauguration photo, he does not look very friendly.)And then theres the press. Some corners of the media, which Trump has previously dubbed the enemy of the people, seem fearful of displeasing him now, where they once seemed determined to hold his feet to the fire. ABC News, for instance, agreed to donate $15 million to Trumps future presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit around anchor George Stephanopouloss use of the term rape in describing the case where Trump was found liable for sexual abuse. (Legal experts claim ABC could have won; instead, they opted to not even try.)ABCs acquiescence in December may have emboldened Trump to push further against the press. Days later, he then sued the Des Moines Register and its pollster Ann Selzer for election interference. Their misdeed? Releasing a poll that showed Trump losing Iowa. (He won the state handily.) Considering the deep pockets of Trump ally Elon Musk, whose distaste for the media is well-known, the president now has a war chest to potentially keep any media outlet of his choosing tied up in litigation throughout his second term and beyond.Things just feel different now, and the Posts new mission statement encapsulates it. Riveting storytelling is certainly something to strive for, but putting a fine point on for all of America seems defensive in its implicit promise of no bias. In fact, objective truth isnt for one group or another, it just is what it is.Plenty of other boutique news sources exist for All of America to find their particular worldview reflected back at them. It feels surreal for a news organization long known for deeply reported stories with real-world impactabout the U.S. government, specificallyto appear to cater to a fantasy of unity, no matter who the president is.Perhaps the 2017 tagline, like a lot of media, entertainment, and conversation during that time, put a bit too much melodramatic elbow grease on a legitimate purpose. Still, it was a fairly accurate temperature reading of that moment.The Washington Posts new mission statement feels like it all too well captures this one. Roughly translated: If you cant beat em, join em.

Dezeen Showroom: designer Sren Rose took cues from sand dunes to create a curvaceous outdoor furniture collection, which includes an embracing swing seat, for Spanish brand Gandia Blasco.Made from powder-coated aluminium, the Arena outdoor furniture collection was designed by Rose to offer sophistication and durability, and to establish a dialogue between the built environment and nature.The Arena outdoor furniture collection features rounded forms made by curved aluminium slatsThe expansive collection features a lounge chair, armchair, two-seater sofa, coffee tables, side table and even a swing chair all united by a distinctive design featuring wide slats that curve at the bottom to create bulbous forms."The swing stands out as the most notable piece in the collection, driven by a desire to amplify the collection's essential character with a space where individuals can genuinely unwind and feel embraced," said Rose. "Its substantial volume, inviting users to sink into its plush cushions and unwind, embodies a warm welcome."The collection includes a swing seat and coffee tablesThe Arena furniture was made by laser cutting aluminium sheet material to form the slats, which were then bent on two different machines to the desired curve pattern before being welded to the two rings forming the upper and lower part of each frame.The collection is available in all the finishes and colours in the Gandia Blasco catalogue, including outdoor technical fabrics from Kvadrat, Sunbrella and Dedar Milano as well as Reviva's 100 per cent recycled PET.Product details:Product: ArenaDesigner: Sren RoseBrand: Gandia BlascoContact: prensa@gandiablascogroup.comMaterial: powder-coated aluminiumColours/finishes: RAL coloursDezeen ShowroomDezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen's huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com.Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.The post Arena outdoor furniture by Sren Rose for Gandia Blasco appeared first on Dezeen.