Design systems that teams actually use

Most design systems I am asked to rescue have the same problem: they were built to impress, not to be used. Hundreds of components, a beautiful documentation site, and a product team that quietly copies old screens instead.

Start with what already ships

Before designing anything new, I audit what is live. The buttons, inputs and cards that already exist in production are the real system. My job is to name them, merge the duplicates and make the best version the easiest one to use.

Keep the surface small

A system with twenty solid components beats one with two hundred half-finished ones. I would rather say no to a component than ship one nobody maintains.

Make it a shared habit

• A short weekly review with design and engineering together
• One owner per component, with their name on the page
• A changelog people actually read, written in plain language

When the system becomes the shortcut instead of the rule, people start using it without being asked.