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What is a Design System, and do I need one?
Answering your questions on how modern product teams can benefit from a Design System
Are you looking to understand what a design system is, how it works, and whether it can help your team? Then you’ve come to the right place. Read on for information on how Design Systems can reduce chaos, improve accessibility, and speed up your design team workflow.
What is a Design System?
A Design System is a collection of reusable components. These components form the key elements of your digital product or service. It acts as a single source of truth for the building blocks of your design, including (but not limited to):
- Foundations: brands colours; typefaces; icons; grids etc.
- Components: buttons; form fields; menus etc.
- Patterns (Less common): common page layouts; combinations of components
- Assets (Less common): Brand photography; illustrations
Think of it as your very own box of lego. Using key, carefully-designed pieces, you can create whole worlds. Whether it’s a Hogwarts Castle or a Star Wars Death Star, when you see it, you know in your heart “That’s a Lego product”.
Now, I know what you’re thinking — “But Lego has already made Lego, why do I want to make Lego too?” and you’d be right to ask.
Lego is great for many things. But it isn’t going to build you a silky smooth, scalable digital experience for your customers. You need to make your own version of Lego customized to your own business and customer needs.
I love chaos, should I continue?
What? You crave disorder and revel in confusion? This is not the place for you.
Go wreak your havoc elsewhere.
