You need a design system when:
- It is a large-scale product with multiple teams involved.
- It is an evolving product with ongoing iteration.
- There are multiple platforms or touch points.
Examples where design systems are best fit include:
- Enterprise software applications
- E-commerce platforms
- Design tools and creative software
- Large company websites with multiple departments and functionalities
When you don’t need a design system:
- Designing a landing page
- Small and simple project with 0% chance of evolving
- Limited resources and tight deadline
How to Create a Design System?
Before delving into the creation of a design system, it’s worth noting that there are many pre-existing design systems available, both free and paid. Utilizing these can save time and allow you to focus more on brainstorming and user feedback.
Things to keep in mind while designing/choosing a design system:
- Identify the elements you need in your project.
- Decide what type of design system you will create (atomic or encapsulated).
- Make sure to include light/dark versions if needed.
- Create every state (success, error, warning, disabled).
- Create all building blocks like navbar, sidebar, widgets, etc.
- Create proper documentation so that newcomers can easily understand and use it upon joining.
Why you need a design system?
A design system, when made right, is like a blessing. It helps in many ways:
- Consistency: Maintain consistency across the platform.
- Efficiency: Easily use components and save time updating the same thing on different screens.
- Scalability: When the project evolves, it is easier for a designer to add new functions and maintain consistency.
- Reduce Errors: Having a design system in one place enables dealing with parent components, which is a lifesaver.
Overall, design systems can save time, money, and resources while improving the quality and consistency of your product.
