On Theme: Design Systems in Depth
Stop waiting for permission! and other ways to show design systems value, with Brian Alfaro — #05
Feb 17, 2025
Brian Alfaro, a design leader with over 15 years at Yahoo and the Washington Post, shares insights on how to showcase the value of design systems. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration and storytelling in successful product teams. Brian argues against waiting for permission to implement changes, advocating for proactive initiatives instead. He also likens design systems to toilets, highlighting their critical yet often overlooked role. Plus, he stresses the beauty in the complexities of measuring design systems.
42:58
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Quick takeaways
- Collaborative integration of perspectives from various stakeholders is crucial for building successful design systems that meet diverse needs.
- Effective storytelling about the behavioral changes driven by design systems can be more influential than merely presenting quantitative metrics.
Deep dives
Understanding Collaborative Design Systems
Building successful design systems requires collaboration among various stakeholders, including designers, engineers, and editorial teams. When setting up the first design system at the Washington Post, the importance of integrating perspectives from these different groups became clear. Balancing the needs of creators with those of the editorial team showcased that design systems can facilitate meaningful collaboration instead of existing in isolation. This cooperative approach is crucial in large organizations, ensuring everyone feels included in the building process and that the resulting system meets diverse needs.
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