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Master Design System Creation with These Amazing Resources
Something I’ve learned from building products and working with development teams and other designers over the past two decades is that most of us already have a design system -the way in which we prepare, execute, and communicate our work — but it may not be a very intentional system. It might not be standardized, scalable, or efficient for long-term use. A proper design system isn’t just about maintaining consistency in your designs- it’s about creating a framework that communicates across teams and can grow with your product.
In this post, I’ll guide you through some of the best design system resources that you can use to create a design system tailored to your needs.
Most Designers Already Have a Design System-It Just Might Not Be a Very Effective or Formalized One.
1. The Design Systems Guide
First up, we have The Design Systems Guide by Romina Kavcic, a comprehensive, step-by-step interactive guide. This resource is particularly useful for designers and teams that need to conduct a design audit-whether you’re building a system from scratch or refining an existing one. Kavcic says,
“Building a design system is much like constructing a house. You need a solid foundation and a framework that others can follow long after you’re done.”
For instance, if your team is struggling with design debt, The Design Systems Guide provides a thorough breakdown of how to do a design audit, create an inventory file, and start building reusable components. One case study from a user highlights how, after following the guide, their team’s design consistency improved by 80%, saving an estimated 30 hours per week in duplicated design work!
