Understanding the design system process

Building a design system is not a single event but a continuous process that evolves with the product. It begins with aligning the organization on why the system matters and who will contribute to it. Once leadership support and time are secured, the process follows several overlapping phases that guide the system from idea to long-term adoption.

A typical journey includes:

• Approval. Gaining leadership buy-in to dedicate time and resources.
• Discovery. Researching existing workflows, running audits, and identifying key challenges.
• Definition. Outlining contributors, governance, and the overall structure of the system.
• Building. Designing, documenting, and developing the core components and patterns.
• Documentation. Explaining how to use each element clearly, keeping designers and developers aligned.
• Adoption: Supporting teams in using the system through onboarding, examples, and feedback loops.
• Maintenance. Updating the system as products and technologies evolve.
• Advocacy. Promoting awareness and adoption across teams to ensure the system becomes part of the company culture.

This process is not strictly linear. Teams often revisit earlier stages when new insights arise or when the system grows beyond its initial scope. Treating a design system as a living product helps it stay relevant, scalable, and valuable to everyone who uses it.