📝 Issue #453: Exciting New Tools for Designers, BurnoutIndex.org, Accessible Web Animation, Google Web Creators, and more…

Every month we put together this roundup of the most exciting new tools and resources that we’ve found on the web in the previous four weeks. All of the entries are either free, or very low cost. In September’s edition you’ll find typography tools, coding apps, icons, illustrations, and some great new fonts.

Design systems are useful tools in creating a consistent set of assets and building uniformly across an organization. The downside is that they tend to focus on company needs and structures. Hayley Hughes looks at introducing context to design systems to draw users’ experience into the equation.

Searchbox is a set of free UI libraries for React, Vue, and vanilla JavaScript that queries and displays results from Elasticsearch version 5+. Each library is lightweight, and configurable. Voice search, auto suggestions, and even search analytics are all built-in, and you can be up and running in a matter of minutes.

For designers and developers committed to creating accessible sites, animation can be a huge stumbling block. As the popularity of animation continues to grow, Val Head explains the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines’ approach to accessible animation, with tons of practical tips thrown in.

This week The Noun Project Photos was launched. It’s a professionally curated collection of art-quality photos that celebrate diversity. Licensing depends on usage, from Creative Commons for personal use with attribution, to Royalty-Free Limited Commercial Licenses. It’s a great source for authentic images.

Apple’s designs for its iterations of macOS have been among the most influential user interface designs of the twenty-first century, but one area that is frequently overlooked is the Systems Preferences panel. Arun Venkatesan takes a fascinating look back at the development of this core UI panel.

Burnout is a threat to everyone, but it’s especially widespread in the design and technology sectors where professional roles tend to grow unexpectedly. BurnoutIndex.org is a first step in tackling burnout by identifying it; answer ten simple multiple choice questions and the site will identify your risk level.

This week Google Web Creators launched with the aim of building a community of content creators. The initiative is aimed at writers, photographers, and designers who want to move away from closed social networks, and onto the wider web. You’ll find guidance on tools, tips, tricks, and inspiration.

Why stand out when you were born to fit in? That’s the question posed by The Bland Book, a collection of brand assets for companies that zig, but don’t zag. From a bland creative brief, to a bland PR guide, these brand guides all but guarantee that absolutely no one will notice you. It’s a fun project to browse.