Design System
A design system is a structured framework that streamlines design at scale, minimizing redundancy while ensuring a unified visual language and consistency across pages and platforms.
UX/UI Approaches & Strategies
Targeted Component UX Research, UX Evaluation & Audit, Design Style Guide, User Interface (UI) Design, Component Pattern Library, UI Element Inventory
Tools Used
Figma, Sketch, Notion
Timeline
4 months approx.
The Challenge
Key challenges included:
• Redundant Work: Recreating the same components multiple times.
• Inconsistencies: Variations in style and functionality across projects.
• Lack of Standardization: No centralized repository of reusable components.
To address this, we needed to consolidate existing components, document use cases, and establish a scalable design system.
The Advantages
• Enables scalable redesign and management of project updates.
• Allows design teams to prioritize problem-solving over minor visual adjustments, ensuring both visual and functional consistency.
• Facilitates rapid design replication using pre-built components and elements.
• Eliminates redundancy by standardizing design elements and maintaining consistency.
• Minimizes miscommunication-related delays, optimizing both design and development time.
The Approach
Our process began with establishing a style guide for the system. Fortunately, much of this groundwork was already in place. Our primary task was to integrate new changes and elements while ensuring seamless alignment with the existing style guide.
Style Guide Elements
The style guide included:
• In-page annotations – Documenting and structuring each component within the library.
• Branding – Defined colors, typography for web and mobile, and logo usage.
• Spacing rules – Guidelines to ensure consistent spacing across designs.
• Layout grids – Standardized grid systems for alignment and responsiveness.
• Icon set – A cohesive collection of icons for visual consistency.
• Border radius standards – Defined corner radius specifications for uniformity.
These guidelines were integrated into the component library, providing contextual design consistency and reference.
Component Library Overview
Component Name
A distinct and specific name for each UI component to ensure clear communication between designers and developers, minimizing errors.
State Changes & Breakpoints
Defined default states and their corresponding appearance changes. Defined size specifications and responsive breakpoints for developers.
Annotations & Descriptions
Detailed notes to provide clarity on each component’s purpose and usage.
Documentation
This documentation consists of:
• Detailed Explanation – A clear description of the component, its function, and typical use cases, sometimes supplemented with dos and don’ts for better understanding.
• Visual Examples – Image references to provide a clear depiction of the component in context.
• Usage Guidelines – Defined rules on when and how to use the component effectively.
Learnings
Building a design system strengthened my understanding of consistency, scalability, and accessibility in UI/UX design. I explored the challenges of maintaining a unified design language across multiple products while ensuring adaptability for various use cases. This project also reinforced the importance of component standardization and documentation.
Outcomes
The design system established a cohesive visual and functional framework, reducing design and development inconsistencies. It improved efficiency by enabling teams to reuse components and maintain brand consistency across platforms. Additionally, the adoption of the design system led to faster prototyping and a more seamless user experience.
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