Avoiding the ‘everything looks the same’ trap

While modular systems create unity, they can also lead to visual monotony if used mechanically. Overreliance on shared frameworks or component kits can make distinct products look identical, just like how every brand using Bootstrap risks the same aesthetic. The goal of a design system is not uniformity for its own sake but coherence that still reflects a product’s unique identity.

To avoid this sameness, teams should customize their components intentionally. Foundations like grids, typography, and color tokens provide structure, but brand expression emerges through tone, imagery, and motion. Instead of copying patterns verbatim, designers can extend or modify them within the system’s logic. This ensures recognizability without rigidity. A well-designed system should feel like a family of products, not clones wearing the same suit.