A design system is more than just a component library in Figma. It is the single source of truth that defines how your product looks, feels, and behaves. Without strict governance and clear documentation, a design system can quickly become a bottleneck rather than an accelerator.
Tokenization is Key
Design tokens (colors, spacing, typography, radii) are the atoms of your system. By abstracting values into named tokens, you ensure consistency and make future rebranding efforts significantly easier. A change in a primary color token should propagate everywhere instantly.
"Consistency breeds trust. If your buttons look different on every page, users lose confidence in the application."
Documentation and Adoption
The best design system is the one that is actually used. Extensive documentation, usage guidelines, and 'do's and don'ts' examples are critical. Tools like Storybook allow developers to interact with components in isolation, bridging the gap between design specs and implementation.
