Building Design Systems That Scale

After building a design system that serves multiple teams and products at MeetingPackage, I've learned that the hardest part isn't the code—it's the people and processes.

Start with the Problem

Before writing a single line of CSS, we spent weeks understanding how different teams were building UIs. The patterns that emerged were fascinating: most inconsistencies weren't due to lack of skill, but lack of shared language.

When one developer says "button," they might mean something completely different from another. Establishing clear terminology was our first step.

The Technology Stack

We chose React + Tailwind CSS + React Aria for several reasons:

• React - Our entire frontend was already React-based
• Tailwind CSS - Utility-first approach made composition easy
• React Aria - Accessibility shouldn't be an afterthought

Key Lessons

The most valuable insights came from watching developers use the system:

1. Documentation matters more than code - A well-documented component gets used. A poorly documented one gets reimplemented.
2. Escape hatches are necessary - Sometimes teams need to break the rules. Make it possible, but make it obvious when they do.
3. Ship early, iterate often - Our first release was embarrassingly minimal. But it got feedback flowing immediately.

Looking Forward

Design systems are never "done." They evolve with your product and team. The goal isn't perfection—it's consistent improvement.

If you're starting a design system, remember: it's a product, not a project. Treat it that way.