The double-edged sword of design systems
In today’s fast-paced world of web development, design systems have gained popularity as invaluable tools for streamlining the design process, ensuring consistency, and improving collaboration. As a seasoned UI/UX designer and website developer, I’ve witnessed the rise of design systems and their impact on the digital landscape. These comprehensive sets of guidelines and assets were meant to bring efficiency, consistency, and collaboration to the design process. Yet, I can’t help but feel a growing concern that design systems are unintentionally draining the creativity and fun from our everyday apps.
Are all apps becoming the same?
Let’s start with a personal anecdote. Like many of you, I find myself frequently using apps like Instagram and LinkedIn. Recently, as I mindlessly scrolled through my feed while eating, I realized something unsettling — All apps are starting to look the same. The similarities between these apps struck me, raising questions about the sameness that seems to pervade many apps today.
Obviously, almost all the apps currently provide similar experiences to the user, but that doesn't mean they need to be so similar visually.
This got me thinking, are they so similar because they follow similar design guidelines? Is it the heavy reliance on design systems that is creating this monotony? These questions prompted me to dig deeper into the issue.
Breaking the Monotony: How Design Systems are Sucking the Fun Out of Everyday Apps
Design systems undoubtedly offer valuable benefits, but they can unintentionally stifle creativity and drain the fun out of our digital experiences. Let’s explore some of the aspects that contribute to this phenomenon:
- Prescribed Design Patterns:
Design systems come bundled with predefined patterns, components, and styles. While these patterns ensure consistency, they can inadvertently hinder creative exploration. As designers, we may feel trapped within these established patterns, leading to repetitive and uninspiring designs that lack originality. Breaking away from the predefined rules can be discouraged, creating a fear of experimentation and limiting our creative freedom.
- Limited Customization:
Design systems are often tailored to specific purposes or contexts, such as a brand or a product. While they provide a solid foundation for consistency, they may lack flexibility when it comes to customization. As designers, we may struggle to deviate from predefined styles or components to meet the unique needs of a project. This limitation can result in designs that fail to fully express the personality and requirements of a product, ultimately stifling our creative expression and individuality.
- Technical Constraints:
Design systems are closely intertwined with the technical infrastructure of a product or platform. They are built using specific technologies, frameworks, or coding standards, which can impose creative limitations. Certain interactions, animations, or transitions may be restricted due to technical constraints within the design system. This can hinder us from exploring new and innovative design ideas that require different technical implementations, leading to a limitation on creative experimentation.
- Lack of Inspiration:
Design systems provide structure and guidance, but they can inadvertently dampen our inspiration. When we rely solely on predefined patterns and components, we may miss out on the opportunity to explore new ideas or think outside the box. The creative process can become repetitive and stagnant, resulting in designs that lack freshness and innovation. Injecting a touch of inspiration and seeking diverse sources of creativity is vital to breaking free from the design system mold. This is something that has affected me the most.
- Limited Collaboration:
Design systems are often introduced to enhance collaboration among design teams. However, they can inadvertently hinder the collaborative creative process. When designers are bound by predefined styles and components, it can be challenging to express our unique perspectives or contribute new ideas. This limitation on collaborative creativity prevents us from harnessing the collective ingenuity of the team and creating truly innovative designs.
Conclusion
Design systems are valuable tools for maintaining consistency and improving efficiency in the design process. They also ease the designer to developer handoff process which in itself is a very big pain.
However, they can unintentionally limit creativity and drain the fun out of everyday apps. To mitigate these limitations, we advocate for a balance between leveraging the benefits of design systems and fostering creativity. By encouraging experimentation, customization, exploration of different technical implementations, seeking inspiration from diverse sources, and promoting open collaboration, we can break free from the homogeneity and create engaging, unique, and enjoyable app experiences. Ultimately, it’s crucial to remember that creativity and fun are vital ingredients in crafting extraordinary digital experiences that captivate users and leave a lasting impression!
