According to a study conducted by figma, designers are 34% faster when using a design system.
When done right, creating a design system from scratch is a very large endeavor that is typically achieved by large organization. However, there are a ton of resources and libraries out there that allow you to reap the benefits of a design system without having to figure out all of the nuts and bolts that go into creating one from the ground up. Our design and development teams work side by side to identify an existing library that will allow us to hit the ground running for a given project.
After choosing the right framework for a project, you’ll want to make it your own. Public design system libraries give you complete control over the source code. As designers and developers, this allows us to determine the best visual language suited for the brand we’re working with. We are also very selective when adding or removing components of a particular design system, ensuring the foundational patterns & system the originators created remain intact.
As a brand grows and design patterns evolve, so too should the design system. A design system should reflect the latest evolution of a company’s colors, fonts, and messaging while staying up to date with industry best practices and standards. Because a single source of truth maintains foundational elements, one change to a design system can be instantly disseminated across multiple channels and/or platforms.
Think of a design system as your company’s bible for designing and building digital products. A design system is more than an FAQ or a guide, it containss the principles, and guidelines for when and how design elements should be used. It provides brand alignment to your organization.
A design system will increase brand consistency, reduce team misalignment, reduce maintenance, and will save you time and money. Design systems provides comprehensive documentation on your brand, assets, the proper usage, it delivers a familiar and consistent look, and much more.
A style guide focuses mainly on the style, which means that they are a guide of colors, fonts, logos, and any other brand attributes used within your brand. Normally a style guide is part of the design system. The main difference between the two is that style guides are static and closed, where as design systems are dynamic and expandable.
There is no one-size fits all when it comes to design systems; they are created based on the needs of an organization. However there are pieces that consistently used in a lot of design systems, some examples are:
New design systems seem to pop up everyday. However, there are clear some clear front runners who have spent countless hours perfecting their system. To name a few:
A design system will save you time and money in the long run!
