Nathan A Curtis
@nathanacurtis.bsky.social
Design systems consultant at Directed Edges in Fairfax, VA USA. Figma Specs plugin creator. Blogger on @medium. Formerly EightShapes. Supports Arsenal, University of Chicago and Virginia Tech. From Ohio, originally.
I'm improving my Anova plugin that generates component specs consistent with a JSON schema to manage specs in the file and easily consolidate and copy them into code.
November 12, 2025 at 2:49 PM
I'm improving my Anova plugin that generates component specs consistent with a JSON schema to manage specs in the file and easily consolidate and copy them into code.
Slots in Design Systems:Improving flexibility through custom composition inside components
My latest on Substack
nathanacurtis.substack.com/p/slots-in-d...
My latest on Substack
nathanacurtis.substack.com/p/slots-in-d...
Slots in Design Systems
Improving flexibility through custom composition within components
nathanacurtis.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Slots in Design Systems:Improving flexibility through custom composition inside components
My latest on Substack
nathanacurtis.substack.com/p/slots-in-d...
My latest on Substack
nathanacurtis.substack.com/p/slots-in-d...
As design system teams start applying Figma's slots, they may best cope with having Menzel's "Let It Go" on repeat in the background. Relinquishing control is going to be... very difficult for some people.
November 6, 2025 at 1:28 AM
As design system teams start applying Figma's slots, they may best cope with having Menzel's "Let It Go" on repeat in the background. Relinquishing control is going to be... very difficult for some people.
Analysis of Variants and the Anova Plugin:
Generating component data that design systems teams need
The Anova plugin, recently released in the Figma community, could be a part of a process that manages component data from (and back into) Figma.
medium.com/@nathanacurt...
Generating component data that design systems teams need
The Anova plugin, recently released in the Figma community, could be a part of a process that manages component data from (and back into) Figma.
medium.com/@nathanacurt...
Analysis of Variants
Generating component data that design systems teams need
medium.com
October 7, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Analysis of Variants and the Anova Plugin:
Generating component data that design systems teams need
The Anova plugin, recently released in the Figma community, could be a part of a process that manages component data from (and back into) Figma.
medium.com/@nathanacurt...
Generating component data that design systems teams need
The Anova plugin, recently released in the Figma community, could be a part of a process that manages component data from (and back into) Figma.
medium.com/@nathanacurt...
Reposted by Nathan A Curtis
You know it's gonna be a good week when you start it off talking to DESIGN SYSTEM WIZARDS @nathanacurtis.bsky.social and @bencallahan.com!
October 6, 2025 at 10:46 PM
You know it's gonna be a good week when you start it off talking to DESIGN SYSTEM WIZARDS @nathanacurtis.bsky.social and @bencallahan.com!
I didn't have Quine-McClusky on my bingo card for things I'd learn about this year, but there you have it. All in an effort to make visible something designers have been implying for years.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quine%E...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quine%E...
Quine–McCluskey algorithm - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
September 25, 2025 at 12:52 PM
I didn't have Quine-McClusky on my bingo card for things I'd learn about this year, but there you have it. All in an effort to make visible something designers have been implying for years.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quine%E...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quine%E...
“Components as Data“, my latest on Medium: medium.com/@nathanacurt...
Components as Data
How to define components independent of platforms to scale a system’s impact
medium.com
September 24, 2025 at 7:21 AM
“Components as Data“, my latest on Medium: medium.com/@nathanacurt...
Reposted by Nathan A Curtis
Welcome back to The Question, @nathanacurtis.bsky.social!
This week, we're exploring where #AI is failing #designsystems.
Answer by Wednesday to get your invite to the deep dive on Thursday at Noon Eastern:
bit.ly/answerTheQue...
This only works if you join in!
See you Thursday,
b
This week, we're exploring where #AI is failing #designsystems.
Answer by Wednesday to get your invite to the deep dive on Thursday at Noon Eastern:
bit.ly/answerTheQue...
This only works if you join in!
See you Thursday,
b
August 19, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Welcome back to The Question, @nathanacurtis.bsky.social!
This week, we're exploring where #AI is failing #designsystems.
Answer by Wednesday to get your invite to the deep dive on Thursday at Noon Eastern:
bit.ly/answerTheQue...
This only works if you join in!
See you Thursday,
b
This week, we're exploring where #AI is failing #designsystems.
Answer by Wednesday to get your invite to the deep dive on Thursday at Noon Eastern:
bit.ly/answerTheQue...
This only works if you join in!
See you Thursday,
b
Caught a couple Banksys in Park City, Utah
July 6, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Caught a couple Banksys in Park City, Utah
I just got called the "Dungeon Master of Design Systems" by a client collaborator. Not sure how to take that one, but sure, let's go on a quest and I'll be your guide!
June 20, 2025 at 6:45 PM
I just got called the "Dungeon Master of Design Systems" by a client collaborator. Not sure how to take that one, but sure, let's go on a quest and I'll be your guide!
Reposted by Nathan A Curtis
I've shared this before, but it's awesome.
Building Smart Layouts, slides from @ishadeed.com's recent talk @cssday.nl
www.figma.com/deck/NewdIWN...
#CSS #FrontEnd #WebDev #WebDesign
Building Smart Layouts, slides from @ishadeed.com's recent talk @cssday.nl
www.figma.com/deck/NewdIWN...
#CSS #FrontEnd #WebDev #WebDesign
Figma
Created with Figma
www.figma.com
June 20, 2025 at 9:56 AM
I've shared this before, but it's awesome.
Building Smart Layouts, slides from @ishadeed.com's recent talk @cssday.nl
www.figma.com/deck/NewdIWN...
#CSS #FrontEnd #WebDev #WebDesign
Building Smart Layouts, slides from @ishadeed.com's recent talk @cssday.nl
www.figma.com/deck/NewdIWN...
#CSS #FrontEnd #WebDev #WebDesign
I'm diving perhaps too deep as I develop teaching materials for UI Component Props. I'm sensing I could do a whole conference talk on tips and tricks for solely enum/variant props.
June 13, 2025 at 1:23 PM
I'm diving perhaps too deep as I develop teaching materials for UI Component Props. I'm sensing I could do a whole conference talk on tips and tricks for solely enum/variant props.
I'm familiar coding best practices for with Web Components and React when it comes to composition and slots. I'm not much at all with SwiftUI. What resources best explain the equivalent practices for slots on SwiftUI?
May 19, 2025 at 4:26 PM
I'm familiar coding best practices for with Web Components and React when it comes to composition and slots. I'm not much at all with SwiftUI. What resources best explain the equivalent practices for slots on SwiftUI?
At @intodesignsystems.bsky.social in a couple weeks, I can't wait to present the various tools I use to communicate component architecture ideas in Figma, including props, enums and layers I combine into an overall "API sketch."
May 16, 2025 at 3:39 PM
At @intodesignsystems.bsky.social in a couple weeks, I can't wait to present the various tools I use to communicate component architecture ideas in Figma, including props, enums and layers I combine into an overall "API sketch."
I found @katielangerman.bsky.social's spreadsheets in her Config 2025 Connecting Code and Craft talk very similar to my token taxonomy efforts: define 'em, transform 'em, and map 'em to migrate production.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l6E...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l6E...
May 16, 2025 at 1:05 PM
I found @katielangerman.bsky.social's spreadsheets in her Config 2025 Connecting Code and Craft talk very similar to my token taxonomy efforts: define 'em, transform 'em, and map 'em to migrate production.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l6E...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l6E...
I am so distracted today by this huge event. So much anticipation. So many exciting things I have waited so long to see.
I'm talking about Arsenal vs PSG, people. Go Gunners.
I'm talking about Arsenal vs PSG, people. Go Gunners.
May 7, 2025 at 5:31 PM
I am so distracted today by this huge event. So much anticipation. So many exciting things I have waited so long to see.
I'm talking about Arsenal vs PSG, people. Go Gunners.
I'm talking about Arsenal vs PSG, people. Go Gunners.
One Smashing Conferences event, two Spectacular Components workshops! I'll be leading TWO full day workshops in New York, NY June 23 and 24. The first digs into component structure, purpose, anatomy and styling with design token, the other digs into props, layout and slots.
May 6, 2025 at 4:12 PM
One Smashing Conferences event, two Spectacular Components workshops! I'll be leading TWO full day workshops in New York, NY June 23 and 24. The first digs into component structure, purpose, anatomy and styling with design token, the other digs into props, layout and slots.
In town for spring break and college visits, a stop at Edmonds Oast Brewery for the Real Madrid match, and I won a @charsenal.com raffle for @arsenalfc.bsky.social merch. Woot! Great community, go Gunners!
April 16, 2025 at 8:12 PM
In town for spring break and college visits, a stop at Edmonds Oast Brewery for the Real Madrid match, and I won a @charsenal.com raffle for @arsenalfc.bsky.social merch. Woot! Great community, go Gunners!
Reposted by Nathan A Curtis
we're at zero.
- ~80 tabs gone through
- 13 links added to the hopper.
- lots of your time saved.
buymeacoffee.com/sturobson
- ~80 tabs gone through
- 13 links added to the hopper.
- lots of your time saved.
buymeacoffee.com/sturobson
March 27, 2025 at 3:11 PM
we're at zero.
- ~80 tabs gone through
- 13 links added to the hopper.
- lots of your time saved.
buymeacoffee.com/sturobson
- ~80 tabs gone through
- 13 links added to the hopper.
- lots of your time saved.
buymeacoffee.com/sturobson
Oh my goodness: have we entered the Post FAB era of UI design?
February 2, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Oh my goodness: have we entered the Post FAB era of UI design?
It’s this kinda clutter that erodes faith in AI and brands. 🤬🤡
Google, c’mon, I don’t need these for email, and an anchored very-oft used Archive interaction is now demoted and muddled as a tap target.
Google, c’mon, I don’t need these for email, and an anchored very-oft used Archive interaction is now demoted and muddled as a tap target.
January 17, 2025 at 5:15 PM
It’s this kinda clutter that erodes faith in AI and brands. 🤬🤡
Google, c’mon, I don’t need these for email, and an anchored very-oft used Archive interaction is now demoted and muddled as a tap target.
Google, c’mon, I don’t need these for email, and an anchored very-oft used Archive interaction is now demoted and muddled as a tap target.
What's the maximum value you've ever seen to fully round a corner radius? I just encountered 40,000. That's not messing a"round"!!!!
January 14, 2025 at 2:23 PM
What's the maximum value you've ever seen to fully round a corner radius? I just encountered 40,000. That's not messing a"round"!!!!
Reflecting on the state of Arsenal after listening to @arseblog.com Arsecast:
If someone had said “Lose Ode for a couple months, and before his return begins to boil lose Saka for longer. Surprised if you *only* have 40 in 20 and leave cups unexpectedly early?” No.
We are so blessed to have both.
If someone had said “Lose Ode for a couple months, and before his return begins to boil lose Saka for longer. Surprised if you *only* have 40 in 20 and leave cups unexpectedly early?” No.
We are so blessed to have both.
January 14, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Reflecting on the state of Arsenal after listening to @arseblog.com Arsecast:
If someone had said “Lose Ode for a couple months, and before his return begins to boil lose Saka for longer. Surprised if you *only* have 40 in 20 and leave cups unexpectedly early?” No.
We are so blessed to have both.
If someone had said “Lose Ode for a couple months, and before his return begins to boil lose Saka for longer. Surprised if you *only* have 40 in 20 and leave cups unexpectedly early?” No.
We are so blessed to have both.