| name | design-system-creation |
| description | Build comprehensive design systems with components, patterns, and guidelines. Enable consistent design, faster development, and better collaboration across teams. |
Design System Creation
Overview
A design system is a structured set of components, guidelines, and principles that ensure consistency, accelerate development, and improve product quality.
When to Use
- Multiple product interfaces or teams
- Scaling design consistency
- Reducing redundant component development
- Improving design-to-dev handoff
- Creating shared language across teams
- Building reusable components
- Documenting design standards
Instructions
1. Design System Components
Design System Structure:
Foundation Layer:
Typography:
- Typefaces (Roboto, Inter)
- Font sizes (scale: 12, 14, 16, 20, 28, 36, 48)
- Font weights (Regular, Medium, Bold)
- Line heights and letter spacing
Colors:
- Primary brand color (#2196F3)
- Secondary colors
- Neutral palette (grays)
- Semantic colors (success, error, warning)
- Dark mode variants
Spacing:
- Base unit: 4px
- Scale: 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 48, 64px
- Apply consistently across UI
Shadows & Elevation:
- Elevation 0 (flat)
- Elevation 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 (increasing depth)
- Used for modals, cards, overlays
---
Component Layer:
Basic Components:
- Button (primary, secondary, outline, disabled states)
- Input fields (text, password, number, email)
- Dropdown / Select
- Checkbox & Radio buttons
- Toggle switch
- Textarea
Form Components:
- Form group (label + input + error)
- Error messages
- Help text
- Required indicators
- Validation states
Navigation:
- Breadcrumbs
- Tabs
- Navigation drawer
- Pagination
- Stepper
Feedback:
- Toast notifications
- Modal dialogs
- Alerts
- Loading indicators
- Progress bars
Data Display:
- Tables
- Lists
- Cards
- Badges
- Chips
---
Pattern Layer:
Layout Patterns:
- Main layout (header + nav + content + footer)
- Two-column (main + sidebar)
- Form layouts
- Grid layouts
Content Patterns:
- Empty states
- Loading states
- Error states
- Confirmation dialogs
- Onboarding flows
Interaction Patterns:
- Hover states
- Focus states
- Disabled states
- Transitions/animations
- Keyboard navigation
2. Component Documentation
class ComponentDocumentation:
def create_component_doc(self, component):
"""Document complete component"""
return {
'name': component.name,
'description': component.description,
'usage': component.when_to_use,
'anatomy': {
'elements': component.sub_elements,
'diagram': 'Show with labels'
},
'properties': {
'size': ['Small', 'Medium', 'Large'],
'variant': component.variants,
'state': ['Default', 'Hover', 'Focus', 'Disabled'],
'disabled': True/False,
'required': True/False
},
'code_examples': [
'React example',
'CSS example',
'HTML example'
],
'accessibility': {
'aria_roles': component.aria_roles,
'keyboard_support': component.keyboard_behavior,
'screen_reader': component.sr_text
},
'do_dont': {
'do': ['Guideline 1', 'Guideline 2'],
'dont': ['Guideline 1', 'Guideline 2']
}
}
def create_live_component_library(self):
"""Build interactive component showcase"""
return {
'tool': 'Storybook / Zeroheight',
'features': [
'Live component preview',
'Interactive controls',
'Code examples',
'Documentation',
'Version history'
],
'coverage': 'All components with all variants'
}
3. Design System Governance
Design System Governance:
Ownership:
Owner: Design System Lead
Committee: 1 Designer, 1 Developer, 1 Product Manager
Review Frequency: Biweekly
Approval Process: Committee sign-off required
Component Lifecycle:
Proposed:
- Submitted by team
- Reviewed for duplication
- Assessed for scope
In Review:
- Design review
- Accessibility audit
- Developer implementation review
- 1-2 week review period
Approved:
- Documented in system
- Available in component library
- Semver version bump
- Teams notified
Deprecated:
- Clear timeline for migration
- Updated component provided
- Support period: 2 major versions
Retired:
- Removed from library
- Historical documentation archived
---
Contribution Guidelines:
To Add Component:
1. Check existing components
2. Submit RFC (Request for Comments)
3. Attend design review
4. Implement per standards
5. Get committee approval
6. Document in library
7. Release in new version
Standards:
- Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA minimum)
- Mobile-first responsive design
- Dark mode support
- Internationalization (i18n)
- Performance (<100kb added to bundle)
4. Design System Documentation
Documentation Structure:
Getting Started:
- What is the design system?
- How to use in your project
- Installation instructions
- Quick start guide
Foundations:
- Color system
- Typography scale
- Spacing/grid system
- Icons
- Accessibility standards
Components:
- [Detailed component docs]
Patterns:
- Common layouts
- Content patterns
- Interaction patterns
- Form patterns
Guidelines:
- Voice & tone
- Imagery & photography
- Brand identity
- Copy guidelines
Use Cases:
- Real-world examples
- Case studies
- Do's and don'ts
Updates:
- Release notes
- Migration guides
- Roadmap
- Contribution process
Best Practices
✅ DO
- Start with essential components
- Document every component thoroughly
- Include code examples
- Test components across browsers
- Include accessibility guidance
- Version the design system
- Have clear governance
- Communicate updates proactively
- Gather feedback from users
- Maintain incrementally
❌ DON'T
- Create too many components initially
- Skip documentation
- Ignore accessibility
- Make breaking changes without migration path
- Allow inconsistent implementations
- Ignore user feedback
- Let design system stagnate
- Create components without proven need
- Make components too prescriptive
- Ignore performance impact
Design System Tips
- Start with colors, typography, spacing
- Build most-used components first
- Use Storybook or similar for documentation
- Version using semantic versioning
- Establish clear contribution process
