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Make Design Systems Work in the Real World

Many of us have been there before: at some point, somebody in the company suggests we build a design system. It sounds pretty straightforward: the team creates a group of reusable components that everybody can mix and match to build reliable, consistent interfaces faster. In fact, it also sounds like a great tool to improve the workflow: the team stops wasting time reinventing the wheel with every new feature. Instead, everybody can use previously tested code with baked-in accessibility, visual language, functionality, and naming conventions — we all can focus on the bigger picture. Why, then, are we still struggling to make a design system stick?

In Chapter 1 of Smashing Book 6, Laura Elizabeth looks at the common roadblocks for design systems getting adopted on an ongoing basis in companies large and small. She examines what causes these roadblocks, and then suggests some practical, common sense approaches to overcoming them, culminating in a roadmap that you can follow to craft your own succesful design system.

Smashing Book 6: New Frontiers In Web Design

It’s about time to finally make sense of all the front-end and UX madness. Meet Smashing Book 6, with everything you need to know about web design. From design systems to accessible single-page apps, CSS Custom Properties, CSS Grid, Service Workers, performance patterns, AR/VR, conversational UIs and responsive art direction.

Start your subscription today and you'll get access to this book, plus 300+ other web design and development books in SitePoint Premium!

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Until next time,
James at SitePoint