What is a Design System?

What does a design system consist of?

A design system usually consists of the following components:

Style and Brand Guidelines

• Color scheme: The specific colors used within the brand, including primary and secondary colors, background colors, and colors for text and accents.
• Typography: The fonts, styles, and hierarchy of text (for example, headings, subheadings, and body text), as well as proper font sizes, line spacing, and weight.
• Logo and brand symbols: Guidelines for proper use of the logo, including minimum distances, scaling, and prohibited uses (e.g., logo distortion).
• Image style: The type and style of images, icons and illustrations that represent the brand, as well as how they should be applied in different contexts.

Components and UI elements

• Buttons: Different types of buttons with associated styles (primary, secondary, inactive, hover, etc.) so that they are used consistently throughout the product.
• Forms and input fields: Guidelines for the design of input fields, selection lists, dropdowns, checkboxes, and so on.
• Navigation: Standard layouts for menus, tabs, breadcrumbs, and other navigation elements.
• Maps and map layouts: Specific components such as maps, overlays, or modal windows that are often reused within the platform.
• Tables and lists: Designs for presenting structured data in a consistent and understandable way.

Interaction and User Experience (UX) Guidelines

• Interaction patterns: Description of standard interactions, such as what happens when a user clicks a button, fills out a form, or scrolls through a page.
• Accessibility: Guidelines for making the product accessible to users with disabilities, such as color contrast, keyboard navigation, and screen reader compatibility.
• Responsive design: Standards for how the product adapts to different screen sizes, from desktop to mobile.

Code and Implementation

• Reusable UI Components: Code libraries or components that designers and developers can use to quickly build consistent elements. For example, this could be a collection of front-end components (such as buttons, forms, and modals) in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
• Design tokens: Variables that define design values ​​(such as colors, dimensions, and fonts) so they can be easily applied in both design tools and code.

Documentation and Communication

• Detailed guidance on how to use each element within the system, including when and why certain design choices were made, and how to apply them consistently in new designs.
• Application examples: Examples of how to present design elements on different screens and in different situations.

The benefits of a Design System

A design system offers several benefits, such as consistency, because the use of reusable components and clear guidelines ensures a uniform design across different platforms, products and teams. It also increases efficiency, as designers and developers do not have to start from scratch every time, but can rely on a standardized set of components and styles. In addition, a design system promotes collaboration between designers, developers and other stakeholders, because everyone speaks the same language and uses the same components. This also contributes to the scalability of the product or brand, as it makes it easier to add new features and manage the design over time without losing consistency. Finally, a design system supports accessibility and inclusion by including guidelines that help create products that are accessible to a broader audience.