Design Systems: A Community Case Study

Design Systems are an increasingly popular means for technology companies to improve development efficiency and design consistency across their products. In this case study, we present findings from a community-wide survey (n=1,513) and interviews at the Clarity 2019, a design systems conference. Our findings describe the community's evolving perception of what makes up a design system. We describe the members of the community who build and maintain these design systems. Our findings highlight i) the changing definition of design systems, ii) the practice of developing in-house design systems (in place of adopting an existing on one), and iii) the role of Design Systems in promoting collaboration between the Design and Engineering functions of a company.