Create the Best Design System: Examples and Tips

If you do not pay attention to the quality of your design system, your users may not have the experience you want them to have. There is never a second chance to make a first impression, so make that first impression count. The best way to do so is to pay attention to the design system you use and maximize the digital assets you have at your disposal. If you improve the experience of your individual users, you can go a long way toward positioning yourself as an authority in your field.

Why do you need a design system?

As you take a look at the best design systems, you might be wondering why you need one. If you want to launch a website, run a digital marketing campaign, and make a positive impression on your target market, you probably have a lot of screenshots, articles, and other digital assets spread out everywhere. You need to centralize all of this information to keep track of it, as it plays an important role in the quality of your user experience. You also need to leverage popular design systems to maximize the digital assets you have available.

The best design systems afford you a number of tangible benefits that can help your brand. Some of the top design system benefits include:

• Maintain brand consistency: With a strong design system, you can maintain brand consistency, positioning yourself as a strong digital brand.
• Increase time users spend on your site: If you focus on the basics of branding as you put together your design system, you will increase the amount of time people spend on your website, making it easier for you to sell your products and services or promote specific advertisements.
• Improve search results rankings: When you improve the user experience, you can improve your search results rankings, which is important for increasing your online visibility.

The key components of a design system

There are several important elements that will play a critical role in the success of your design system. They include:

Colors

Think about the colors you use, and choose ones that will represent your brand. For example, include a range of tints around a few important colors. You do not want to overwhelm your visitors, but at the same time, you want an interesting design system. Whatever colors you pick, make sure they are consistent.

Typography

The vast majority of design systems will only use two fonts. One font will be for your headings, and another font will be for your text. Even though you may feel like this is an opportunity for you to stand out, go with a font that has been proven to be popular among your visitors. You do not want the font to detract from the rest of your system.

Sizing and spacing

Think about the sizing and spacing of your individual elements. You may want to do some testing with different sizing and spacing options to make sure the information shows up exactly as it should.

Imagery

Your imagery is the key to the success of your design system. Make sure your images, videos, and other visual elements show up as they should. Think about compressing your images if you want them to load more quickly.

These are the biggest elements of your design system. Make sure the elements create a cohesive experience for users. Do not hesitate to reach out to a professional who can help you.

Design system examples

There are plenty of design system examples from which to choose. Some of the top design system examples you may want to use include:

1. Apple Human Interface Guidelines

One of the biggest technology companies in the world is Apple. This is a design system that has been developed using the main pillars that Steve Jobs used to build the company. With this design system, you will notice that there is an incredible amount of attention paid to detail. The entire system has been designed with the user in mind.

In addition, this is a design system you can use to eliminate distractions that might otherwise detract from the image you were trying to communicate to your users. This design system is also compatible with some of the most recent mobile devices, so you can ensure that your users have a consistent experience across all platforms.

2. Google Material Design System

Given that Google is one of the most popular technology companies in the world, it should come as no surprise that they have a popular design system as well. In essence, the design system from Google paved the way for all of the other options in the industry. Every detail has been accounted for, and everything is presented succinctly.

This is a design system that will help you create a visual language that will make it easier for you to communicate with your users. Furthermore, there is a single underlying system that unifies the experience of users across all platforms, making it easier for you to present a consistent brand image. With access to some of the most advanced features in the industry, you will have an easier time adjusting the layout, color, and typography to meet the needs of your brand.

3. Mailchimp Design System

Mailchimp is one of the most popular companies in the world when it comes to email marketing, but the platform has also grown significantly beyond email marketing. Now, you have access to an all-in-one marketing platform you can use to build your small business.

The goal of this platform is to make it as easy as possible for you to grow your business while also staying true to your brand identity. When you use this design system, you can take advantage of a platform that has been specifically designed to help you express your business creatively.

You can use the design system to customize your colors, visualize your data, create a convenient grid system, and select the right typography for your design system. Take a look at the Mailchimp Pattern Library to see an example of a design system in action and survey the building blocks used to create one of the industry’s best design systems.

4. The IBM Carbon Design System

Another option is the IBM Carbon Design System. IBM is also one of the biggest technology companies in the world, and they offer a unique design system that can help you improve your business. You will get access to numerous tutorials, guidelines, and components that you can use to crack a design system that is perfect for your user base.

This design system is more popular among larger corporations with a lot of visitors. You get access to numerous patterns and data visualization tools that can help you track what is most important to the experience of your users. Then, you can craft and mold the design system to meet your needs.

5. The Salesforce Lightning Design System

Another one of the most popular platforms in the world is called Salesforce Lightning. This is the name that has become synonymous with CRM software, and it is a platform that some of the largest companies in the world use.

Now, there is a design system you can use as well. The most important features of the design system include trust, customer success, innovation, and equality. With this design system, you will have access to numerous platforms that you can customize to meet your needs.

One of the main benefits of this platform is access to a wide variety of components that you can use to craft your design system in the image of your brand. This is a popular platform if you plan on operating in the content marketing, sales, or AI space.

These are just a few of the many options that are available. You should compare the features and benefits of these design systems before you decide what is right for your needs.

Tips for creating a design system

There are plenty of design system examples, but if you want to use one of the top design systems there are a few important tips you’ll want to follow. While you might create a style guide to start with, the following tips will help you build a more comprehensive design system:

Identify your brand’s visual language

What is the visual language of your brand? This will be reflected in your logo design, as well as various design patterns and design elements.

As you seek to identify your brand’s visual language, ask yourself what you want people to picture when they envision your brand. Is there an image, font, or color scheme that comes to mind? You need your design system to be consistent with your brand’s visual language, particularly as you design landing pages, email campaigns, digital ads, and more. If you keep your brand’s visual language consistent across your design system, you can successfully establish an online presence for your company.

Determine the scope of your design system

What is the scope of your design system? Will it include images? What about videos? Will it play a role in your landing pages and email marketing campaign? If you’re not sure where to start, you might want to use a color palette generator as a source of inspiration.

Just remember that your system needs to grow and scale with your business. Make sure you know what the scope of your design system will be before you set out in creating it, as this will simplify the process.

Get everyone involved

As you take a look at examples of design systems, remember to get everyone involved. Anyone who plays a role in the online presence of your brand or works with the design team should have input into your design system features. That way, everyone will have an easy time understanding and implementing the design system. You might also encourage your team to take advantage of web design tips to better position your brand’s website and create effective UI components.

Connect your teams

If you really want to make a positive impression on your users, you need to take advantage of the best design systems. For example, if you are interested in the latest features regarding email design, you should put the design system from Mailchimp to work for you.

With Mailchimp’s intuitive design system, you can immediately separate yourself from your competition. Sign up for Mailchimp today to optimize your brand’s online presence and drive growth for your company.