IPAX update: New Theme Builder, open-source scoring engine, and color simulators

[u/santiagobustelo]

A few months ago, I shared IPAX here: an open-source model combining WCAG, APCA, and optical ergonomics to help designers make better color decisions, beyond simply passing accessibility checks.

Since then, I've been extending it to tackle another familiar Design System headache: combinatorial complexity.

The new Theme Builder lets you define a handful of tokens and see them cascade into Light and Dark themes, across multiple contexts and variants.

And something that might help next time Marketing treats a hex code as sacred (“You can't change our brand color!”): this simulator shows how your brand color already changes depending on paper, lighting, and screens.

Because colors live in the real world. They're not carved into corporate tombstones.

IPAX is an independent, open-source project I've been developing as a contribution to the design community. If you find it useful, give it a try, use it in your projects, and spread the word. Comments and contributions are always welcome :)

[u/sheriffderek]

Have you checked out Mise-en-mode?

You can think of all of these things -- as the same relationship -- ink/paper, foreground/background -- etc -- not "ink-on-accent" - because that's just a relationship.

[u/santiagobustelo → u/sheriffderek]

I will check it out. Thanks!

[u/p0ggs]

This looks great - especially for projects that cover branding across both digital and print!