9 Inspiring Design System Examples
Are you tired of inconsistent design elements across your website or app? Do you want to streamline your design process and create a cohesive visual identity? Look no further than these design system examples.
These systems provide a framework for organizing and implementing design elements, resulting in a consistent and efficient user experience. To inspire you to create your own design system, I’ve compiled a list of nine inspiring examples from top companies.
Read on to get inspired by these design system examples and get ideas on how you can elevate your brand and improve user satisfaction.
What Are the Best Design System Examples?
1. Airbnb Visual Language
Overview
Airbnb, a popular online marketplace for lodging and tourism experiences, has developed a comprehensive design system to enhance the user experience of its platform. This system comprises a set of key features and components that are designed to ensure consistency, efficiency, and usability across all of Airbnb’s digital products and services.
Key Features of Airbnb Visual Language
The Airbnb design system includes a range of features and components that are essential to its success. These include a robust set of:
- Design guidelines
- A comprehensive library of reusable UI components
- Well-defined system of typography, color, and imagery
My perspective:
Airbnb ensures consistency across all of Airbnb’s digital products and services which helps to build trust and familiarity with users. Additionally, the system promotes efficiency by providing designers and developers with a set of pre-built components that can be easily reused across different projects.
This not only saves time and resources but also helps to maintain a consistent user experience across all of Airbnb’s digital touchpoints. By providing a comprehensive set of :
- Design guidelines
- Reusable UI components
- Design principles
The system ensures consistency, efficiency, and usability across all of Airbnb’s digital products and services.
2. IBM Carbon Design System
Overview
The IBM Carbon Design System is a comprehensive framework that provides a set of design guidelines, principles, and tools for creating consistent and effective user interfaces across various digital platforms. This system is designed to facilitate the development of high-quality digital products that are:
- Intuitive
- Accessible
- Visually appealing
Key Features of IBM Carbon Design System
The key features of the IBM Carbon Design System include a set of design patterns, reusable UI components, and a style guide that outlines the design principles and best practices for creating effective user interfaces.
Additionally, the system provides a range of design tools and resources, including:
- Design templates
- Icon libraries
- Color palettes
My perspective:
IBM Carbon Design System enables designers and developers to create consistent and cohesive user interfaces that are easy to use and navigate. This consistency helps to build trust and familiarity with users, which can lead to increased engagement and loyalty.
Secondly, the system promotes accessibility and inclusivity by providing guidelines and tools for creating interfaces that are usable by people with disabilities. Finally, the IBM Carbon Design System is designed to be flexible and adaptable, allowing designers and developers to customize and extend the system to meet the specific needs of their projects.
3. Atlassian Design System
Overview
The Atlassian Design System is a framework that has been developed to facilitate the design and development of software products. The Atlassian Design System is a collection of design guidelines, principles, and components. These are used to create a unified design language across all Atlassian products. This system is based on the principles designed to provide a seamless user experience across all devices and platforms:
- Simplicity
- Consistency
- Accessibility
Key Features of Atlassian Design System
One of the key features of the Atlassian Design System is its modular design. This system is built on a set of reusable components. This means components can be easily customized and combined to create unique designs. This modular approach allows designers and developers to work more efficiently. Reducing the time and effort required to create new designs.
Another important feature of the Atlassian Design System is its focus on accessibility. This system is designed to be accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. To enhance readability the design system uses:
- Clear and concise language
- Intuitive navigation
- Color
- Contrast
My perspective:
First and foremost, this system helps to ensure consistency across all Atlassian products, providing a seamless user experience for customers. Additionally, the modular design of this system allows for greater efficiency and productivity. This reduces the time and effort required to create new designs.
Finally, the focus on accessibility ensures that all users can use Atlassian products, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.
4. Shopify Polaris
Overview
Shopify Polaris is a design system that offers a consistent user experience across all Shopify products and platforms. It is a set of guidelines, and tools to create a cohesive and accessible interface.
Key Features of Shopify Polaris
The key features of Shopify Polaris include a set of design guidelines, a library of UI components, and a flexible design language. These allow for customization to different contexts and use cases. The design guidelines cover various aspects of design, such as:
- Typography
- Color
- Layout
- Interaction patterns
Shopify provides clear and concise instructions on how to implement them in a consistent and effective manner.
The UI component library includes a wide range of pre-built components, such as:
- Buttons
- Forms
- Navigation menus
- Icons
These components are designed to be modular, reusable, and accessible, and can be customized to match the specific needs and requirements of each project.
My perspective:
Firstly, it helps to ensure consistency and coherence across all Shopify products and platforms. This enhances the overall user experience and strengthens the brand identity.
Secondly, it saves time and resources by providing a comprehensive set of design guidelines and pre-built components; that can be easily adapted and reused. Thirdly, it promotes accessibility and inclusivity by providing clear and concise instructions on how to design interfaces that are usable and understandable for all users, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.
5. Salesforce Lightning Design System
Overview
This system is designed to provide a comprehensive framework for creating responsive and efficient user interfaces for web and mobile applications.
Salesforce Lightning Design System is a collection of CSS, JavaScript, and HTML components that are pre-built and customizable. These components are designed to be used in conjunction with the Salesforce platform, enabling developers to create visually appealing and functional applications with ease.
Key Features of Salesforce Lightning Design System
The key features of the Salesforce Lightning Design System include a set of:
- UI components
- Responsive grid system
- A comprehensive set of design guidelines
These features enable developers to create consistent and intuitive user interfaces that are optimized for various devices and screen sizes.
My perspective:
Salesforce Lightning Design System enables developers to create applications that are visually appealing and user-friendly, which can lead to increased user engagement and satisfaction. Additionally, the system provides a standardized set of design guidelines, which can help to ensure consistency across multiple applications and reduce development time.
Finally, the system is designed to be highly customizable, allowing developers to tailor their applications to meet the specific needs of their users.
6. Google Material Design
Overview
Google Material Design is a design language developed by Google in 2014. This design language is characterized by its emphasis on visual and interactive consistency across different platforms and devices.
Key Features of Google Material Design
The key features of Google Material Design include a focus on flat design, bold colors, and the use of shadows and depth to create a sense of hierarchy and spatial relationships. Additionally, the design language incorporates responsive animations and transitions to enhance the user experience and engagement.
My perspective:
Google Material Design provides a unified and consistent visual language that can be easily applied across different platforms and devices, thereby enhancing brand recognition and user familiarity. Secondly, the use of responsive animations and transitions can improve user engagement and satisfaction, leading to increased user retention and loyalty.
Finally, the emphasis on accessibility and usability ensures that the design language is inclusive and user-friendly, catering to a diverse range of users.
7. Apple Human Interface Guidelines
Overview
The Apple Human Interface Guideline is a comprehensive set of principles and recommendations that outline the design and development of user interfaces for Apple products. The guideline is intended to ensure that the user experience is:
- Intuitive
- Consistent
- Esthetically pleasing across all Apple devices
Key Features of Apple Human Interface Guidelines
The key features of the Apple Human Interface Guideline include a focus on:
- Simplicity
- Clarity
- Consistency
The guideline emphasizes the importance of designing interfaces that are easy to use and understand, with clear and concise language and intuitive navigation. Additionally, the guideline provides recommendations for the use of color, typography, and other design elements to create a cohesive and visually appealing user experience.
My perspective:
By adhering to the guidelines, designers and developers can ensure that their interfaces are consistent with Apple’s design philosophy and brand identity. This can help to: build trust and loyalty among users, as well as improve the overall user experience. Additionally, the guideline can help to streamline the design and development process, reducing the time and resources required to create high-quality interfaces.
8. Adobe Spectrum
Overview
The Adobe Spectrum Design System is a framework that has been developed by Adobe Systems Incorporated to facilitate the creation of visually appealing and consistent user interfaces across various digital platforms. This system is designed to provide a unified approach to design and development, enabling designers and developers to work collaboratively and efficiently.
Key Features of Adobe Spectrum Design System
The Adobe Spectrum Design System comprises a range of key features, including a:
- A set of design guidelines
- Library of reusable components
- A set of tools and resources for designers and developers
Additionally, the system is highly customizable, allowing users to tailor it to their specific needs and preferences.
My perspective:
The Adobe Spectrum Design System enables designers and developers to create consistent and visually appealing user interfaces across multiple platforms, which can help to enhance the user experience and improve user engagement.
Secondly, the system provides a streamlined workflow, which can help to reduce development time and costs. Finally, the system is highly scalable, making it suitable for use in a wide range of applications and industries.
9. Mailchimp Pattern Library
Overview
The Mailchimp Pattern Library is designed to streamline the design process and enhance the user experience by providing a standardized approach to design.
Key Features of Mailchimp Pattern Library
The key features of the Mailchimp Pattern Library include a vast collection of reusable design elements, such as:
- Typography
- Color palettes
- Icons
- Buttons
Additionally, the system provides a centralized repository of design assets that can be easily accessed and shared across teams.
My perspective:
The benefit of using the Mailchimp Pattern Library is that the system enables designers to create high-quality designs quickly and efficiently. This reduces the time and effort required to develop user interfaces.
Secondly, the system ensures consistency across all design elements, which enhances the user experience and promotes brand recognition. Finally, the system facilitates collaboration and communication among design teams, thereby improving the overall design process.
What Is A Design System?
Basically, a design system is a collection of guidelines and components that help ensure consistency and efficiency in design. It’s like having a toolbox full of all the tools you need to create amazing designs. So, if you’re looking to streamline your design process and create more cohesive designs, a design system might be just what you need!
How Can A Design System Benefit You
A Design System can save you time and effort by providing you with pre-designed components and guidelines that you can use to create consistent and cohesive designs. Plus, it can help you collaborate better with your team and stakeholders by providing a shared language and understanding of design. So, if you’re looking to streamline your design process and create better user experiences, a design system is definitely worth considering! Use these design system examples to inspire you.
Final thoughts
Thanks for reading my article on design systems and my review of 9 best design system examples. I hope you found it helpful and inspiring for your own design projects. By sharing these design system examples, I wanted to showcase the power and potential of design systems in creating cohesive and effective designs.
If you’re looking to improve your design skills and create more impactful designs, I highly recommend exploring design systems and incorporating them into your workflow. By using a consistent set of design elements and guidelines, you can save time, improve collaboration, and create more cohesive designs that resonate with your audience.
