Building a design system is a comprehensive process that requires meticulous planning and collaboration. Here's a structured guide to help you get started: First, let's clarify the distinction between a local component library and a full-fledged design system.
Local Component Library: A collection of components used within a single design file. It's specific to a particular project or team, but not scalable or standardized across different teams or products. This is very functional when you work on small scale projects. Imagine you are designing for a website and if the scope of the project has a shallow architecture.
Design System: A single source of truth that unifies the design language, components, and guidelines across all teams involved in product development. It includes: A well-defined design system ensures that all products under a brand have a unified look and feel, similar to what Google has achieved with its Material Design system.
Who needs a Design System ?
I was talking with one of my product manager friend recently about design systems. He was telling that there is lack of knowledge in a lot of startups who are building products and starting to do a design system for them from scratch. He was telling for such companies the ideal way is to buy a design system, use it for faster workflow.
What does a Design System do?
The primary benefit of a design system is to ensure consistency and indicate that these products are part of the same overarching brand.
Example: Zoho Products
Check the visual differences between Zoho Mail and Zoho Cliq. Despite being products from the same parent brand, they lack a unified look due to the absence of a cohesive design system. A well-implemented design system would ensure visual consistency across all products. Here a Local component library wont work.
But on the other hand, Atlassian has a unified design system. Both the products below have a consistent look because of a well implemented design system.
Example: Atlassian Products
Steps to Build a Design System
Step 1: Audit Existing Design Systems
Start by studying how major brands have developed their design systems. Analyze the foundational elements, values, and components of these systems. Some exemplary design systems to consider are:
Atlassian Design System
Adobe Spectrum
Material Design System
Ant Design System
Moon Design System
Create a comparative table to understand how these systems are structured and detailed. This will provide insights into the complexity and thoroughness required to build a robust design system.
Step 2: Collaborate with Your Teams
Communication and collaboration with your team are crucial. Discuss the requirements with designers, developers, and other stakeholders. Establish design tokens for component-level customization, which facilitates scalability and consistency across different products and platforms.
Step 3: Prepare the Foundations & Components
This step involves defining the core elements of your design system:
Color: Define a consistent color palette. Include primary, secondary, and accent colors. Specify color values (hex, RGB, etc.) and their usage (e.g., background, text, buttons).
Layout and Grid: Establish a grid system for consistent spacing and alignment. Define layout patterns (e.g., columns, responsive breakpoints).
Iconography: Create a set of icons that align with your brand and design language. Ensure icons are scalable and accessible.
Illustrations: Design custom illustrations or use existing ones. Maintain a consistent style and tone.
Logos: Document logo guidelines (clear space, variations, etc.). Specify logo usage across different contexts.
Spacing: Set consistent spacing values (margins, paddings). Define spacing rules for components.
Typography: Choose font families (serif, sans-serif, etc.). Specify font sizes, weights, and line heights.
Accessibility: Ensure color contrast meets accessibility standards. Use semantic HTML and provide alt text for images.
Shadow: Define shadow styles for components (e.g., cards, buttons). Consider elevation levels.
Motion: Specify animation guidelines (transitions, duration, easing). Use motion to enhance user experience.
Components: Create reusable UI components (buttons, forms, modals). Document usage, variations, and code examples.
Step 4: Document Everything
Documentation is often overlooked but is essential for the usability and scalability of a design system. Document each component, guideline, and best practice clearly and comprehensively. Write documentation in a blog-like format, making it easy for all team members to understand and use.
Conclusion
Building a design system is a complex but rewarding endeavor. By auditing existing systems, collaborating with your team, defining foundational elements, and thoroughly documenting everything, you can create a design system that ensures consistency, scalability, and a unified brand identity. Regularly update and iterate on your design system based on user feedback and evolving needs. 😊
Moreover, these steps will be elaborated on in more detail in the upcoming blog posts. I purposely omitted one aspect, known as TOKENS, which I will address shortly.
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