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Case studies

We helped Atlassian adopt React and build the front-end platform that unifies its products.

When Atlassian made the leap from jQuery to React across their entire front-end stack, they reached out to Thinkmill for help.

Technology used

  • Figma,
  • Node.js

Tagged in

Atlassian Design System and Atlaskit interfaces juxtaposed side by side Atlassian Design System and Atlaskit interfaces juxtaposed side by side

Highlights

  • Established a new design team and design language across multiple brands and technologies
  • Developed a mobile design system for React Native with two successful production apps shipped to date
  • Led development of a shared GraphQL platform and schema for the front-end
  • Developed a new web design system as the cornerstone of a unified React front-end platform
  • Led a dedicated design system team that supports multiple product delivery streams

Atlassian Design System

Screens from Atlassian design system juxtaposed side by side, showing designs from colour tokens and select component Screens from Atlassian design system juxtaposed side by side, showing designs from colour tokens and select component

Over three years, we led some of the most challenging aspects of developing Atlassian’s Atlaskit Design System (opens in new window) .

Our contributions included complex components like Navigation and Selects, as well as platform infrastructure for managing documentation, examples, and releases – including significant work on monorepo and build tooling to support the growth of the developer team from 10 to 100.

Unified design & development in practice & docs

We led the effort to establish closer working practices between the Design Platform team and other Product Teams across Atlassian, including unifying the content of the Design Guidelines and Atlaskit websites under a central Information Architecture & Content Management System.

Scaling performance

With millions of lines of front-end code and hundreds of developers committing to Jira daily, consistent architecture and code quality are a challenge to manage. Thinkmill played a leading role in establishing Jira’s org-wide standards for React Architecture, and formed a core part of the team that transitioned Jira from hundreds of individual apps into a unified, performant Single Page App.

Showcasing Atlassian Jira platform with a listview of product backlog Showcasing Atlassian Jira platform with a listview of product backlog

Related case studies

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  • reckon logo

    We helped Reckon implement a unified front-end platform and design system.

A photo of Jed Watson & Boris Bozic together A photo of Jed Watson & Boris Bozic together

We’d love to work with you

Have a chat with one of our co-founders, Jed or Boris, about how Thinkmill can support your organisation’s software ambitions.

Contact us