A design system is the way we agree to produce designs for a product or family of products

Came across this perspective while listening to a couple YouTube interviews with Dan Mall. I understood it as him saying that there is no ideal design system or best way to build interfaces. It all depends on the needs of the product and preferences of those shaping and building the digital interface.

For me, a design system starts with reducing inconsistency that comes with rewriting code for common interactions or recreating the same component. It's more efficient for both designers and developers.

It helps with crafting better digital experiences by promoting continuity in the overall experience and tone.

One challenge of design systems is that it's a living extension of collaborative thought processes around how to produce designs so there will be moving parts.

This is why there’s often a focus on documenting status and purpose of components.

Some teams include a section on components that are in the works so everyone's on the same page. Some teams keep it really lean with documentation to encourage more experimentation. Many teams build products using an external design system because that covers their needs.