Beyond The Button #1: What is a design system?

This month, Michelle is joined by two new faces: Tim Legierse, one of the most tenured members of the zeroheight team, and Beau Ulrey, Sr. Design System Manager at U.S. Bank. This month’s discussion is about how design systems can foster user trust. Sure, a good set of reusable components can create a more consistent product. But what does that mean for users? According to the folks at U.S. Bank, a more consistent UI is a key driver for user trust and adoption, and they’ll tell us how.

As designers, we aim to be user-centered, but figuring out where to incorporate user research can be tricky. How do we add user research when there’s a demand for components ASAP? Is it weird to ask users how they would use a button? Join us as we explore how user research fits in with the evolution of your design system. We cover approaches for integrating user research in practical and appropriate ways to meet the demands of a design system.

You’ve created most or all your components, but now people are asking about patterns. In this episode, we break down the initial steps of documenting your patterns, which patterns to document first, and top tips when it comes to pattern documentation.

This time, we’re tackling how to collaborate on a design system. We’ll talk about the tools you should be using, who should be doing what, and how you can create a review and governance process that ensures your design system site is accurate and consistent.

In this episode, we’re talking about something everyone seems to struggle with: measuring the impact of their design system. Should we be measuring how many visitors a design system site has? How often components are used? And, what qualitative measures are worth keeping an eye on? 

In this episode, we discuss a hot topic: design tokens. We talk about when a design system should incorporate design tokens and when. We also explore best practices for creating and maintaining your design tokens, including Michelle’s hot topics on design token naming conventions. 

In this episode, we jump into the intersection of design systems and branding. We uncover the secrets to striking the perfect balance, exploring what works seamlessly and what may hinder your design process. We explore integrating brand and marketing into your design system, discussing collaboration and coherence, and creating a visual language that works for product design and great user experiences.

In this episode, we ask a tough, subjective question – how can your team build a successful design system? Believe it or not, the answer might be easier than you can imagine. Nef and Michelle uncover what success means and how that might apply to your team.

Developers and designers use design systems, right? They do, but do you know who else uses them? We’ll cover who else uses design systems, why understanding this matters, and how you can best help your design system users.

In the first episode, Nef and Michelle answered the most fundamental question, “What is a design system?” Is the answer easy and straightforward, or is this a trick question?