🙂 Maintaining a design system
A design system only serves a purpose if it is used. Things to consider when maintaining a design system:
- Who is the design system for?
- How will the design system be used?
- How can the design system be adapted?
- How can people contribute to it?
Some strategies for maintaining a design system
- Include knowledge about the design system as part of the onboarding process for new employees.
- Encourage and incentivize active contribution to the design system.
- Host regular Q&A sessions and workshops; conduct surveys for feedback and input.
- Treat the design system as a living system so that it can grow and evolve.
Other considerations
- Make the design system:
- Official: allocate time and money.
- Adaptable: count on change and have a plan for it.
- Maintainable: easy to communicate changes.
- Cross-disciplinary: involve the organization.
- Approachable: easy to use and understand.
- Visible: communicate, collaborate, and evangelize.
- Bigger: include brand, writing, and code guidelines.
- Agnostic: naming conventions based on structure.
- Contextual: demonstrate patterns and usage.
- Lasting: start with a solid foundation.