Limitations

Creating and maintaining a design system is a time-intensive activity which requires a dedicated team.

Design systems, unfortunately, are not a one-and-done solution. At their best, they are constantly evolving as teams gather feedback from those who use them.

It takes time to teach others how to use the design system.

Any design system, even if it were adapted from an existing one, needs instructions for use — otherwise there is a risk that it may be applied inconsistently or incorrectly across screens or across teams.

Elements of a Design System

here are two important parts to a design system:

  • the design repository
  • the people who manage it