Design systems have become indispensable in the realm of UI/UX web design, offering developers and designers a structured and efficient way to create cohesive digital experiences. By providing reusable components, guidelines, and best practices, design systems expedite the design and development process, ensuring consistency and quality across various projects. This comprehensive guide will explore what a design system is, its benefits, and highlight 18 of the best examples currently available.
A design system is a comprehensive collection of reusable components, patterns, guidelines, and code used to build websites and applications. The primary goal of a design system is to ensure consistency, efficiency, and scalability across products. This structured approach to design streamlines processes and sets clear standards, making it easier for teams to produce reliable and high-quality outputs.
Core Components of a Design System
A typical design system includes:
– Design principles: Foundational ideas and philosophies that guide design decisions.
– Component libraries: Collections of re-usable UI elements like buttons, forms, icons, and more.
– Pattern libraries: Recurring solutions for common design problems, such as navigation bars and modals.
– Accessibility guidelines: Standards to ensure designs are usable by all people, including those with disabilities.
– Content guidelines: Directives to maintain consistency in tone, voice, and style across all content.
– Brand style guidelines: Specifications for logos, color palettes, typography, and imagery that establish visual identity.
– Design tokens: The smallest pieces of a design system such as colors, typography, spacing, and shadows to maintain design consistency.
– Icon libraries: Collections of icons used across the UI for various functionalities.
Implementing a design system provides several significant advantages that can transform how design and development teams operate.
Consistency
Design systems ensure a unified look and feel across various products, enhancing user satisfaction. By adhering to the same principles and guidelines, teams can deliver predictable and cohesive user experiences, reinforcing brand recognition and trust.
Efficiency
Reusable components and guidelines reduce the time spent on designing and developing new features, enabling teams to work faster. This efficiency also frees up resources to focus on more critical, innovative tasks.
Scalability
With predefined elements and patterns, scaling designs for new products or updates becomes significantly more manageable. Teams can swiftly adapt or expand a design system to meet new project demands without starting from scratch.
Quality
Consistent use of high-quality design components leads to superior and predictable product experiences. This reliability in design quality can enhance user satisfaction and reduce the likelihood of errors or usability issues.
Examining real-world examples of design systems can provide invaluable insights into their implementation and benefits. Below are 18 of the best examples currently available:
1. Atlassian Design System
Atlassian offers a robust design system that assists design and development teams in “designing, developing, and delivering” cohesive products. Their system includes component and pattern libraries and advice on stylistic foundations, ensuring a unified product experience.
2. Google Material Design System
Google’s Material Design helps designers integrate Google products seamlessly by offering a variety of components, icons, and detailed developer tutorials. This design system ensures a cohesive visual and functional experience across all Google products.
3. Microsoft Fluent Design System
This open-source, cross-platform system aims to create engaging user experiences with a strong focus on accessibility, internationalization, and performance. Microsoft’s Fluent Design System incorporates principles that make applications visually appealing and user-friendly.
4. Apple Human Interface Guidelines (HIG)
Apple’s tools aim to create delightful user experiences, offering comprehensive guidelines including principles for inclusion and onboarding. Their design system provides clear directives for UI components and patterns, ensuring consistency across Apple products.
5. IBM Carbon Design System
Open-source and community-driven, IBM’s Carbon Design System offers extensive design kits for Figma and Sketch based on the IBM Design Language. This system has been instrumental in creating consistent and accessible user experiences across IBM’s vast array of digital products.
6. Shopify Polaris
Tailored for those selling goods online, Polaris includes a component library and content guidelines designed for a high-quality merchant experience. Shopify’s design system prioritizes user-centric design, making it easier for merchants to manage their online stores.
7. Ant Design
Created by the Ant Group, this design system focuses on producing natural interactions and predictable product experiences through various components and guidelines. Ant Design balances functional and aesthetic elements to deliver top-notch user experiences.
8. Adobe Spectrum
Adobe Spectrum aims for cohesive application design by offering principles, resources, and implementations, including UI kits, fonts, and icons. This design system ensures Adobe’s tools maintain a consistent and professional appearance.
9. Salesforce Lightning Design System
This system ties Salesforce’s cloud-based CRM apps with a consistent look and feel, incorporating component blueprints, tokens, and accessible design guidelines. Salesforce’s design system enhances user experience across their wide range of products.
10. Mailchimp Pattern Library
This design system includes a variety of components such as color, typography, data visualization, and a grid system, enhancing Mailchimp’s email marketing services. The pattern library ensures that Mailchimp’s products are visually cohesive and functional.
11. Audi Design System
Audi offers a holistic design system from core components to comprehensive guidelines, ensuring consistency across their products. This system supports Audi’s brand identity and delivers a seamless user experience.
12. Uber Base Design System
Uber’s Base allows teams to quickly build web applications with its customizable and accessible components and utilities. This design system supports Uber’s rapid growth and evolving user needs.
13. Wanda Design System
Wonderflow’s Wanda provides guidelines on development and accessibility, along with features like symbols and data visualizations. Wanda ensures that Wonderflow’s products are both visually appealing and highly functional.
14. BBC Global Experience Language
BBC’s system combines design foundations with insights into UX research, including how-to information for user-centered design practices. This design system ensures that BBC’s digital products are user-friendly and informative.
15. Cisco Momentum Design
Focused on Webex products, Cisco’s system offers tokens, components, and a shared design language, creating cohesive user experiences. Momentum supports Cisco’s mission to deliver cutting-edge communication tools.
16. GitLab Pajamas
Open-source and aimed at ease of contribution, GitLab’s Pajamas provides comprehensive brand and product design guidelines along with UI components. This design system supports GitLab’s collaborative nature.
17. SAP Fiori Design Guidelines
SAP’s Fiori helps design teams create business apps with consumer-like user experiences, ensuring consistency with SAP solutions. This design system supports SAP’s extensive range of enterprise applications.
18. Zendesk Garden
Designed to create cohesive user experiences across Zendesk products, this system combines best practices from content, design, and engineering. Zendesk Garden ensures that Zendesk’s customer service tools are both functional and delightful to use.
What is a design system?
A design system consists of reusable tools, visual elements, design patterns, and other resources to maintain consistent design standards while building websites and apps. It serves as a single source of truth, ensuring that all team members adhere to the same design principles and guidelines.
What is the role of the design system?
A design system facilitates consistent design, enables faster workflows, and allows teams to scale designs more efficiently. It enhances collaboration and communication across various disciplines, ensuring a unified approach to product design.
Is Figma a design system?
Figma itself is not a complete design system but rather a library of design tools and resources. It can be integrated into a design system toolkit to aid in the creation and maintenance of design systems.
Adopting a design system can enhance consistency, efficiency, and quality in product development. By leveraging the examples and guidelines outlined in this article, organizations can find the best fit for their needs and pave the way for more cohesive and user-friendly digital experiences.
Design systems are evolving with advancements in AI, automation, and personalization, ushering in new opportunities for innovation. By staying informed and adaptable, design professionals can harness these tools to create impactful digital experiences that delight users and drive success.
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