10 Questions to Ask When Planning for Design System Maintenance
Checklist
May 21, 2019
Top 10 Maintenance Efficiency Questions
- Do you have a design system “product owner”?
- Is your component library documented in code that references real UI components?
- Do you have a clearly defined governance process?
- Have you clearly identified a cross-functional team that will be responsible for approving changes and additions to the design system?
- Are you implementing automation into your governance process to reduce meetings?
- Do you have your documentation collected in a single source of truth?
- Does your component documentation contain version history?
- Do designers and developers know when there is in-flight work on a component they need to change?
- Does your design system have a product roadmap?
- Have you established a design process for your team that encourages the team to design systematically?
Bonus Question
- Do your product owners/project managers account for design system documentation in their story points for features and timeline estimates?
Design systems can help reduce your product team’s operational costs and increase speed to market, but only if you have a plan to maintain the design system that allows you to move quickly, innovate, and maintain consistency as efficiently as possible.
About Levvel
We are an IT, strategy, and design consulting firm that combines the innovative DNA of a startup with the wisdom, scalability, and process rigor of a Fortune 100 Company. Our design team helps clients create new digital products and services by focusing on outcomes. We accelerate your product lifecycle and innovation process by running strategy workshops, designing & testing experiences with users, and writing code alongside developers.
Learn more about how Levvel can support your Design Systems strategy goals by contacting us at hello@levvel.io.
Authored By
Devin Smith
Vice President, Strategy
Meet our Experts
Devin Smith
Vice President, Strategy
Devin helps guide strategic direction at Levvel. He brings 20 years of experience in design, advertising, and development across a range of industries, including financial services, e-commerce, retail, and automotive. Having a passion for connecting design principles to business, he has led teams at multiple companies with an emphasis on driving growth through relentless dedication to quality and serving customers. He uses design thinking to provide a holistic, customer-centered, and cross-functional approach to solving real business problems.
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