Tab Collection: November 2025
A monthly roundup of what I've been reading, building, and thinking about
I have 36 browser tabs open right now. 14 are articles I’ve been meaning to read properly, 8 are case studies I’ve bookmarked to reference later, and the rest are a mix of design system documentation, Figma files, and furniture stores.
Every few weeks, I do the thing we all do: I panic-bookmark everything into a folder called “Read later” (which really means “Never again”), close all the tabs, and promise myself I’ll be more organised next time. But before I do that this month, I thought I’d actually go through what’s been living up there and share the stuff that’s actually stuck with me.
Welcome to the first edition of Tab Collection – a new monthly series where I share things I’ve been reading, learning from, and thinking about.
Worth reading
Articles that made me think differently, or reinforced something I hadn’t quite put into words yet.
What’s new in the Design Tokens spec: From static to living design data by Kathleen McMahon
The W3C Design Tokens spec just got a major upgrade. Modern colour spaces (OKLCh and Display P3), proper inheritance for component tokens, and token resolvers that handle multiple brands without file chaos. If you’ve ever managed tokens across platforms or tried to wrangle dark mode variations, this is worth your time. Tokens are evolving from static variables into something that actually understands context and relationships.
Context matters, working better with LLMs by Dan Donald
Dan breaks down how to actually work with LLMs without losing your mind. Treat context files like onboarding documentation for a new team member. Set expectations, establish working patterns, and stop letting AI over-engineer every response trying to please you. This shifted how I think about the tools entirely.
Beyond the Plateau of Sameness by Yesenia Perez Cruz
Yesenia tackles why design systems make everything feel generic, and it’s got nothing to do with creativity constraints. She introduces the Accelerators, Differentiators, and Diluters framework – a way to audit your components and figure out which ones are creating efficiency, which ones create distinction, and which ones are doing neither. The Diluters section hit hard. We’ve all built those bloated components that try to do everything and end up being useful for nothing.
From my corner
Things I published this month.
Slots and the control paradox: Why loosening your design system might save it
Figma’s Slots feature exposes something uncomfortable: we’ve been building design systems backwards. I explore why giving up some control actually increases adoption, and how the best systems balance constraints with flexibility. If your component library feels simultaneously too rigid and somehow still not quite right, this might resonate.
The AI feedback loop: When design systems train the models that critique them
AI learns from our design systems, generates new designs, and those designs feed back into the next iteration. I dig into the risks of convergence, model collapse, and what happens when systems start drifting toward whatever AI thinks looks “correct”. A bit of a cautionary tale about maintaining what makes your system distinctive.
Tools and resources
Things I’ve discovered (or rediscovered) that are making work easier, faster, or more interesting.
I recently moved from Notion to Obsidian. Working in plain markdown feels more streamlined, and having the ability to add a canvas for visual thinking, or a graph view for seeing connections between notes, is super helpful when mapping out complex ideas.
AI & Design Systems course by Brad Frost and TJ Pitre
Brad Frost and TJ Pitre are launching a course on AI and design systems. If you know anything about me, you know I’ll be there counting down the days til launch. These two know their stuff, and I’m genuinely curious to see how they’re approaching this space.
Currently enjoying
Films, music, and whatever else has been on repeat.
Darknet Diaries podcast
I’ve been working my way through the back catalogue of Darknet Diaries. Jack Rhysider’s storytelling is brilliant, and my long-standing interest in cyber security and cyber crime means I’m perpetually one episode away from going down a Wikipedia rabbit hole about some obscure hack from the early 2000s.
Neo Soul Mix on Spotify
This has been on repeat while I work. Growing up, I have fond memories of listening to the greats like Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, and Marvin Gaye. This mix hits that same nostalgic spot, just with a more modern, poppy edge. Perfect for when you need something smooth that won’t pull your focus.
Life, lately
What’s happening outside work.
We purchased a house last month! We’ve been knee-deep in renovations, which has pushed the 180SX rebuild to the side for now. Once we’re through the renovation chaos, I’ll finally have the space to spread out and get stuck back into it.
I’m also now the proud owner of a ride-on mower. I’m spending more time mowing than I ever expected, but it does raise an interesting question. Can I make a body kit for it? John Deere x 326Power crossover?
One of those unexpectedly nice moments: seeing my button API diagram show up in Elyse Holladay’s Converge talk. It’s always nice when your work makes it into someone else’s presentation. I’m counting down the days until the recordings are released – the lineup looked incredible.
Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts directly in your inbox.
This article is also available on Medium, where I share more posts like this. If you’re active there, feel free to follow me for updates.
I’d love to stay connected – join the conversation on X and Bluesky, or connect with me on LinkedIn to talk design systems, digital products, and everything in between. If you found this useful, sharing it with your team or network would mean a lot.