One design system

Four platforms, every team rebuilding the same button. We unified them without slowing anyone down.

The problem

A button bug meant four separate fixes. A brand change meant four re-implementations. Designers spent roughly 40% of their time rebuilding components — and users had to relearn the basics in every app.

What I did

  1. 1

    Audited

    Catalogued components across all four platforms.

  2. 2

    Extracted

    Made the best existing patterns canonical.

  3. 3

    Governed

    Tiered rules — strict core, flexible edges.

  4. 4

    Drove adoption

    Workshops, quick wins, easy install.

Core

Buttons, forms, alerts. Locked — changes need review.

Patterns

Workflows, layouts. Adapt within guidelines.

Experimental

New ideas. Prove them, then promote.

Built from what teams already shipped, so the system felt like theirs — not something imposed.

The results

0
Component adoption
within 18 months
0
Less time spent
rebuilding components
Takeaway

A design system is really a service you run for your own team, not a thing you ship once. It only works when using it beats building your own.