Beyond the Button #10: How do design systems foster user trust?
Aug 8, 2024
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Tim Legierse, a veteran of the zeroheight team, and Beau Ulrey, Sr. Design System Manager at U.S. Bank, dive into how design systems foster user trust. They discuss the impact of consistent UI in enhancing user adoption, especially in finance. The conversation highlights balancing design consistency with innovation and the importance of beta testing. Collaborative development processes and usability testing play crucial roles in refining design systems. Ultimately, they underline that reliability over time is key to building trust.
A consistent user interface, driven by design systems, fosters trust and adoption among customers in financial services.
Accessibility within design systems not only enhances user trust but also promotes collaboration and inclusivity across internal teams.
Deep dives
Importance of Trust in Design Systems
Trust is a fundamental element for financial institutions, as customers must feel secure when managing their money through apps and websites. At US Bank, the design system plays a vital role in establishing this trust by ensuring that products are reliable and consistent. Customers need to have confidence in the design and functionality of the tools provided, which helps them achieve their financial goals. The design system aims to create a trusting relationship over time, similar to how personal relationships are built, by demonstrating consistent and reliable behaviors.
Building Accessibility into Design Systems
Accessibility is a critical aspect of the design system at US Bank, reflecting the organization's commitment to inclusivity and user-centric design. The design team creates components and guidelines that prioritize accessibility, ensuring that all users, regardless of their abilities, can effectively interact with their banking services. This includes providing clear documentation on how to implement accessible components and testing their products to meet established accessibility standards. By focusing on accessible design, the team not only builds trust with customers but also strengthens collaboration and trust with internal teams using the system.
Promoting Adoption of the Design System
The adoption of a design system can be challenging, but it is essential for ensuring that teams utilize the resources effectively. The US Bank team emphasizes creating a high-quality product while providing the necessary tools and guidance to facilitate adoption across multiple product lines. Continuous feedback loops are established to improve the system and address any concerns from users, promoting a sense of community ownership over the design system. Their approach focuses on understanding user needs and iterating based on feedback, rather than enforcing usage or metrics, which has led to a positive perception and gradual adoption of the design system.
Navigating Brand Updates in Design Systems
Handling brand updates such as changes in colors and fonts within the design system requires thoughtful coordination among various teams. US Bank's design system team focuses on creating a robust token structure that can easily accommodate branding changes while minimizing disruption. It is essential to ensure that these updates are communicated effectively to all teams using the design system, so they can apply updates cohesively across different customer journeys. The complexity of brand updates highlights the importance of collaboration and communication to maintain consistency and customer trust in the evolving financial landscape.
This month, Michelle is joined by two new faces: Tim Legierse, one of the most tenured members of the zeroheight team, and Beau Ulrey, Sr. Design System Manager at U.S. Bank. This month’s discussion is about how design systems can foster user trust. Sure, a good set of reusable components can create a more consistent product. But what does that mean for users? According to the folks at U.S. Bank, a more consistent UI is a key driver for user trust and adoption, and they’ll tell us how.
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