Not every design system is the same. When we make decisions on how to consolidate design systems, set up one or improve the workflow, we need to understand what kind of design system we are working on. “Six Different Types of Design Systems” (https://lnkd.in/ennktfmg) is a helpful overview by Dan Mall that highlights 6 different kinds of design artefacts that can be described as a design system: visual language, UI kits, standalone product, process, service and practice
- ✅ Visual language: establishes color, type, spacing, layout and visuals.
✅ UI kits and component libraries: defines reusable modules in code/design.
✅ Product: system with a roadmap, backlog, budget and a dedicated team. - ✅ Process: the system defines the way of working for consistent output.
- ✅ Service: feature teams request UI components from design system teams.
- ✅ Practice: the system is used over and over again, by the entire company.
- The overview above goes from the least to the highest level of maturity, and from small to large scale. For many organizations, design systems live as UI kits or component libraries, and to grow roots, they need to get a critical mass adoption and demonstrate their impact. This comes through shared ownership, value to consumers of the design system and a successful project that can demonstrate the value and the impact of the system and the process that comes along with it. For a design system to survive, it needs to be valuable, and it needs people to carry it forward.
Further reading:
- Design System Maturity Model, by Ben Callahan https://lnkd.in/eYRPeHRT
- The Spectrum of Maturity for Design Systems, by Nikolas Klein https://lnkd.in/e-SqwT7S
- The Six Pieces of a Design System, by Rick Poulin https://lnkd.in/eTx3vQuE
- The Human Side of Design Systems, by Amy Hupe https://lnkd.in/eGGguKaD
- A Playbook for Working with Product Teams & Managers, by Nathan Curtis https://lnkd.in/eqkT85jg
