Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
Design Systems as a Vehicle for Systemic Change
Summary
When asked, I’m sure many people would point to something visual about design systems. In reality, most of the work and so the effort that can make these projects succeed or fail is unseen – the people bit. For many organisations, design systems present a challenge in terms of structure, delivery, and how to define value. Designing these unseen structures and pipelines can enable the great work everyone always wanted to do – while being communicative and collaborative in ways we’ve not done before.
Key Insights
-
•
Design systems are more about relationships and culture than just UI components.
-
•
A successful design system requires clear problem definition and measurable impact.
-
•
People challenges, like communication and collaboration, often impede design system success more than technical issues.
-
•
Centralized, federated, and hybrid team models each have unique trade-offs in managing design systems.
-
•
Design systems should empower users by reducing repetitive work, enabling focus on higher-level problems.
-
•
Continuous feedback loops and community engagement are critical for evolving and maintaining design systems.
-
•
Governance, including documented decision records, helps preserve institutional knowledge and guide future changes.
-
•
Design system work shifts organizational culture by bridging disparate teams and breaking down silos.
-
•
Managing design debt is an intentional and ongoing part of design system maintenance and growth.
-
•
Humility and a servant-leadership mindset are essential for those stewarding the design system.
Notable Quotes
"It’s how you think about the relationships between people and these artifacts that makes a design system."
"Everyone seems to have a design system, but many don’t understand why they need one."
"Often you can tell people just don’t talk, and design systems need that interpersonal stuff to work."
"A centralized model for design systems can be problematic because it distances the team from end users."
"Design systems are not a straight jacket, they free you from repetitive work to focus on bigger problems."
"The value of a design system looks different depending on if you’re a developer, designer, or stakeholder."
"If you don’t continually check whether people are benefiting, the system’s reputation can quickly suffer."
"Design system decision records prevent knowledge being stuck in one person’s head."
"A design system is never a done thing, it’s a continuous evolution of best practices."
"Our job is to help others do great work, not to create perfect components for our own ego."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"People on the project were reporting back to management in their silo, not talking to one another."
Carl TurnerYou Can Do This: Understand and Solve Organizational Problems to Jumpstart a Dead Project
March 28, 2023
"Consumers are clamoring for payment to be embedded in their devices because payment can be a pain point in digital commerce."
Karen PascoeDeveloping Experience Teams and Talent in the Enterprise
June 8, 2016
"Sending small care packages to remote team members goes a long way in showing we care and building connection."
Jilanna WilsonDistributed Design Operations Management
October 23, 2019
"Designers contribute experimental patterns back to the design system early, making their work visible even before full validation."
Shawna Hein Kevin HoffmanCreate a Cohesive Civic Design Practice Across Agency, Vendors, and Contracts
November 17, 2022
"You need to find your own mattress—a grounding purpose or phrase—that you can rely on when progress feels hopeless."
Barb SpantonDoing Work That Matters: A Look Beyond The Idealistic Notion of 'Doing Meaningful Work'
June 10, 2022
"We decided not to chase shiny objects because we wanted to stay true to our mission."
Briana ThomasThe Quiet Force: Uncovering Hidden Leadership in High-Impact Design Teams
September 24, 2024
"Service design is 10% connecting the dots and 90% creating the conditions that bring those dots closer together."
Gina MendoliaTherapists, Coaches, and Grandmas: Techniques for Service Design in Complex Systems
December 3, 2024
"Understanding how assistive technology evolves is crucial because it foretells the future of interface design."
Lija Hogan Milan Mijatovic Sam Proulx Louis RosenfeldThree Years Out: Perspectives on the Near-Term Future of User Research
March 15, 2024
"DPM loneliness and siloing happen because of wearing too many hats and inheriting mismatched responsibilities."
John Calhoun Rachel PosmanTwo Sides of the DesignOps Coin: Teams Ops and Product Ops
January 8, 2024
