At first, AlignUI Design System started as Erşad's idea, born from his experience crafting various systems for different companies. He noticed their flaws such as missing components, inefficiencies, among other issues, pushing him to imagine a more complete solution. During this time, he managed work commitments at a company while starting the development of AlignUI, a challenging but necessary side project.

The breakpoint for the design system came when Erşad and I started collaborating. Sharing a living space allowed us to combine our expertise in UI/UX design and content writing/research. Our journey began by thoroughly analyzing user needs and fundamental components, involving in-depth research. We extensively studied major design systems for Figma like Polaris, Ant, Spectrum, Material, and others, seeking inspiration from platforms such as The Component Gallery and Refero for tangible real-life examples.

Gathering together our research and inspirations, we organized everything within a FigJam file to categorize visuals. We also used Notion for efficient checklist management and content organization. Once we made sure that everything is planned, dedication and hard work became our guiding principles. Our collaboration enabled us to invest extensive hours, sometimes up to 14 hours a day, with a sense of accomplishment in our progress, despite occasional mental and physical fatigue. The feedback we received on designs shared across social media platforms, especially Twitter, acted as motivation during challenging moments.

The journey of developing AlignUI was filled with challenges that required specialized assistance. Melis, an exceptionally talented illustrator, contributed by creating placeholder Avatars and designing empty states for the Widgets. Doruk, with his marketing experience, aided in structuring the pre-ordering sequence. Additionally, setting up our company, AlignUI, was made possible through invaluable guidance from Yiğit and Nusu. Numerous other professionals and friends assisted us, without whom managing all these tasks with just Erşad and me would have been impossible.

Approaching the completion of the design system after about 250 days of dedicated effort was incredibly exciting. Our sense of fulfillment resulted from the effort invested in every single detail. However, what truly boosted our spirits were the heartwarming comments flooding social media, particularly Twitter. Even before the system's release, the enthusiasm and appreciation expressed by people reinforced the value we were creating, making those interactions priceless.

In essence, AlignUI won't remain just an idea; it's set to evolve and expand. Soon, we'll share a comprehensive roadmap, ensuring ongoing enhancements. Alongside prioritizing quality, efficiency, and comprehensiveness within our design system, we put emphasis on creating a vibrant community. The positive feedback we've received confirms that the value of our transparency and engagement are appreciated for regular Updates and Blogs. So, this absolutely inspires us to keep sharing and keeping everyone informed. Until our next blog, take care, Aligners!