A design system is a set of practices and standards that a company uses when designing and developing products, apps, and its website. Although not a programming language, a design system is a verbal and visual vocabulary that makes communicating about projects much easier.

Imagine you go to your favorite coffee shop to order your usual and find that the labels for everything have changed. The types of coffee, sizes, etc. all have names you’ve never heard before and the people behind the counter don’t know any of the terms you’ve used in the past. The fast, friendly interaction you’re used to has become painfully slow and extremely frustrating.

This is an example of what life is like when the parties involved don’t have a common design system. And obviously it’s not a satisfying experience. Contrast that with you and your coffee shop agreeing. “Hello Laura. The usual big, semi-caffeinated dark roast with a dash of caramel and room for cream?” It’s an efficient, smooth process that makes everyone smile.

Design System Components: From Visual Identity to UX

The elements of a design system can vary somewhat from company to company or from one user experience (UX) development partner to another. However, they usually include the following:

• company principles. These are things like a brand’s values, goals, or purposes.
• brand identity. This includes colors, fonts, images and other visual elements, but also sounds and intangibles like the tone and voice of a brand.
• Recommended course of action. An organization’s approaches to accessibility, training, and providing the best possible user experience fall into this category.

It is crucial to get agreement among all stakeholders (designers, programmers, testers, decision makers, etc.) on these and other elements before starting a project. And it’s even more important when there are multiple projects in the queue.

10 advantages of a Design System Framework

Of course you can develop a product or an app without creating or…