What are design systems? Why are they important?
Design systems are blueprints for any web project, a comprehensive collection of reusable components, style guides, patterns, and documentation. Now, imagine building a house without a blueprint—every room designed from scratch, no standard measurements. Every room has switches that work differently—some toggle up, some down, and others require a specific motion to function. Sounds chaotic, right? That’s what a tech product can feel like without a design system.
Design systems provide the structure, consistency, and efficiency needed to streamline product development. They offer a unified language of components, patterns, and guidelines that enhance both the design and development process.
Whether you are a solo designer, a startup, or an enterprise, choosing the right design system can impact your workflow and development process. The challenge, however, lies in selecting a system that aligns with your project’s unique needs. With so many design systems out in the market for use, it can feel overwhelming to select one that can meet all your needs. In this guide, we’ll explore the five key factors to consider when choosing a design system and why it should be an integral part of your framework selection process.
What to consider when choosing a design system
1. Customizability for branding requirements
Some design systems provide pre-built, opinionated components that enforce consistency, while others allow extensive customization. If you need full control over styling, a less rigid system like Tailwind UI or Headless UI may be ideal. On the other hand, if speed and ease of use matter more, highly structured systems like Material UI or Ant Design might be better choices. Consider your branding requirements—does the design system’s default look align with your aesthetic, or will you need to heavily override styles?
2. Developer experience
A great design system isn’t just about visuals—it should also support developers with robust documentation, clear APIs, and intuitive component structures. Choosing a system with good developer experience can significantly speed up implementation, reduce technical debt, and improve collaboration between designers and developers.
Some libraries, like Chakra UI, prioritize ease of use, offering excellent TypeScript support and built-in accessibility features that make development smoother. Others, like Bootstrap, provide a structured approach but may require more effort to customize and adapt to modern development workflows. Material UI, for example, follows Google’s Material Design principles, making it a strong choice for teams that want a consistent, opinionated design language. On the other hand, systems like Tailwind UI take a utility-first approach, allowing developers to style components with minimal overrides.
The Balance Between Design and Development
With so many design systems available, it is important to find a balance between design flexibility and ease of development. To make your decision easier, consider the quadrant graph below, which maps different component libraries based on customizability and developer experience. Understanding where a design system falls on this spectrum can help teams make a more informed choice based on their needs.
3. Framework Compatibility
Not all design systems work across all frontend frameworks. Some, like MUI, are built specifically for React, while others like Angular Material cater to Angular projects. Universal systems like Tailwind UI and Headless UI provide greater flexibility but often require additional setup. Below is a compatibility table to help navigate these choices:
4. Community and Ecosystem Support
A strong community can make a significant difference in troubleshooting and long-term support. Larger ecosystems like Material UI and Bootstrap benefit from extensive documentation, third-party integrations, and active community forums. In contrast, newer or niche systems may lack the same level of support, making debugging and scaling more challenging. When evaluating a design system, check for GitHub activity, Stack Overflow discussions, and available plugins.
5. Performance and Accessibility
Performance should always be a consideration when choosing a design system. Some component libraries, particularly those with heavy JavaScript dependencies, can slow down web applications. Additionally, accessibility is often overlooked but is critical for reaching a wider audience. Libraries like Chakra UI and Carbon Design prioritize accessibility, ensuring components are usable with screen readers and keyboard navigation.
Why Make Design Systems a Part of the Framework Selection Process
A common mistake teams make is selecting a frontend framework first and then trying to force-fit a design system into it. Instead, considering design systems early in the decision-making process ensures a smoother integration between design and development and cohesive user experience across different platforms. It also reduces friction when implementing UI components. Instead of seeing design systems as an afterthought, teams should evaluate them alongside framework selection. Ask questions like:
- Does the design system align with the team's expertise in a particular framework?
- Will it require extensive customization to meet brand requirements?
- How does it handle state management, theming, and accessibility?
Conclusion and Takeaways
Choosing the right design system is a crucial decision that impacts both designers and developers. By considering factors like customizability, developer experience, framework compatibility, and emerging AI trends, teams can select a system that enhances both efficiency and creativity. Additionally, making design systems a part of the framework selection process ensures a more seamless development workflow. Whether you prioritize speed, flexibility, or strict design guidelines, there’s a perfect design system for every project—it just takes the right approach to find it.