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The Loose Change libraries in Figma are a space for product designers to share finalized components that are not yet part of the Currency Design System as a way to encourage cross-team collaboration and re-use. All designers have access to Loose Change and can add and publish assets they feel may be beneficial to other teams and broadly applicable across products. The Currency team monitors component adoption within Loose Change to determine at which point popular assets get absorbed into Currency.
For light contribution like bug reports and feature requests, visit Bug Reporting and Requests.
How to Use the Library
Finding the Loose Change Files
The Loose Change library files are are contained in the Tools and Resources team and under the respective brand Exploration Space projects within that team.
Navigating in the Loose Change Files
The structure of the Loose Change files match the structure of the Currency system, i.e. it's broken down at an atomic level. There are separate pages for Components, Patterns, and specific atomic elements like typography and iconography. When adding to Loose Change, it's important to follow the organization that users of the design system are accustomed to so they know where to find new assets.
Adding to the Library
Fill Out the Template
On the first page of the Loose Change file, there is an asset template with a form on the left and empty space on the right. This template should be copied to the appropriate page of the Loose Change file. From there, fill out the information requested in the form. It's important to provide as much context as possible so that users who come to the library will know the intention behind an asset. This will ensure consistent usage and quicker potential adoption into Currency.
Add Your Asset
In the blank space to the right, paste the asset you'd like to share. Make the asset as generic as possible by removing any product specific copy or guidance, but do not use Lorem Ipsum. Use directional language to instruct on the asset's proper usage.
Create a Component or Style
Once the template is filled out, you must make the copied asset a component or style so that it can be accessible from the assets panel in any working file in Figma.
To create a component: Right click your asset and select "Create component" from the context menu.
To create a style: Select your asset and in the design tab of the right hand panel, click the four square grid in the appropriate section (text, color, etc.) and click the plus button. Name the style and click create.
Publish the New Asset
When all information and assets are added, publish the library from the file menu. When publishing the library, always add a version note explaining what you have added to Loose Change.
Updating Contributed Assets
Assets added to Loose Change should be in a state of doneness or near-doneness within product files. However, if it is necessary to update a product functionally or visually in a way that is not product specific, it's imperative that it also be updated in Loose Change to avoid versioning issues and inconsistencies.
When updating a file, use the Additional Info section or a sticky in the asset template to detail the change that was made, when and why. Also include this information in the version notes when you publish the library. This way, anyone who has placed this asset from Loose Change will see the changes reflected immediately.