Building a design system that works across multiple teams requires more than just a component library. It demands a shared philosophy and governance model that balances flexibility with consistency.
The Problem
When we audited our product surfaces, we found over 47 different button variants across our applications. Each team had evolved their own patterns, creating a fragmented user experience and duplicated engineering effort.
Our Approach
We established a core team of 3 designers and 2 engineers to build the foundation. Rather than mandating adoption, we focused on making the design system so convenient that teams wanted to use it.