Lean UX: Designing Great Products with Agile Teams

by Jeff Gothelf

There is clear ownership Assign an owner to the design system. This could be a dedicated team with a product owner, an editor, or curator who works with content creators, or simply a single responsible person, but it needs to be clear who is responsible for keeping the design system up-to-date. If this becomes a burdensome responsibility, consider rotating this role on a regular basis every three months. The system is actionable Your design system is not just a library or museum for user interface elements. It should be a “widget factory” that can produce any interface element on demand. As each new element is added to the system, make it available for download in whatever formats your team will need. Ensure that not only the code is available but the graphical and wireframe assets, as well. This allows every designer to have a full palette of interface elements with which to create prototypes at any given time. The system is accessible Accessibility means that the design system is available to everyone in your organization. Accessible design systems are: Easily found Use a memorable URL and ensure that everyone is aware of it. Easily distributed Ensure that your teams can access it at their convenience (in the office, out of the office, on mobile devices, etc.). Easy to search A comprehensive and accurate search of the design system greatly increases its usage. Easy to use Treat this as you would any other design project. If it’s not usable, it will go unused very quickly.