Design System Challenges:

Freedom?

Are you familiar with the equality paradox of the different people looking out of a fence?

To provide the three people with equal experiences you need to adjust the resources accordingly. Resources can not be distributed equally, which would still result in inequality. The concept that balances this is equity. Equity ensures everyone has equal opportunities.

Equality is a complex concept that works only when analyzed with a scrutinous eye. And same happens with the concept of freedom.

“The design system limits my freedom to create!”

This is the number one enemy of design systems. Those who work closely with them are likely nodding in agreement. As in many aspects of life, the concept of freedom is often misused to distort reality when things don’t go our way.

When the Cambridge Dictionary defines freedom as “the condition or right of being able or allowed to do, say, think, etc., whatever you want to, without being controlled or limited,” it overlooks an important nuance: inherently the exercise of one person’s freedom should not infringe upon the freedom of others.

Freedom does not mean having the ability to do whatever it is that you want, that is chaos. Freedom is the ability to act upon circumstances following a set of rules respecting other parties around you. To work or co-work within any type of structure and in society you will need some parameters and architecture to operate efficiently and in a way that makes sense. And that is what a DS brings to the table: a base structure.

A base structure that helps us avoid duplications, inconsistent work with the agreed vision, and unnecessary delays in the delivery. The freedom to work faster and better with some guarantees.

I know this part might sting a bit, but stick with me.

Developers are easy to convince that the DS is an important asset, I have found very little restriction in my years as a product designer from this side of the product structure. Developers most likely will be allies.

The hardest to convince have been fellow designers, who view the design system as a constraint on their…