Design Systems Podcast

Andii Hei, a Senior Product Designer at Wesco, delves into the fascinating parallels between urban planning and design systems. They discuss how both fields share principles of structure and adaptability, while highlighting the importance of collaboration. Andii draws inspiration from diverse disciplines, emphasizing that regulations in design can spark creativity. The conversation also explores the transformative impact of AI on urban planning and the essential balance between human insight and technological advancements.

Allison Shaw, Director of Design for Adobe's Spectrum core team, shares her transformative journey in design systems. With a background at Yelp, Twitter, and Zendesk, she discusses the shift from designer to design leader, emphasizing the importance of humility and mentorship. Highlights include her role in shaping Adobe's cohesive branding, the evolution of design strategies from HTML to mobile, and the challenges of navigating management transitions. Allison's insights provide a roadmap for aspiring design leaders tackling complex organizational dynamics.

Alice Preisler, Product Owner of Design System at ADP, dives into the debate on whether design systems should start with components. She proposes focusing on documentation and design tokens instead. Alice shares her vision for using a linting tool to maintain design consistency and foster creativity within constraints. The conversation explores the complexities of localization, the necessity of solid documentation, and balancing speed with consistent design quality. It's an engaging discussion that challenges traditional notions and emphasizes structured workflows.

Catalina Manea, a Senior Designer at Spelunk with a deep-rooted background in graphic design, shares her transformative journey into systems-focused design. She dives into the importance of reusability and adaptability within design systems, emphasizing collaboration between designers and developers. Catalina argues that these systems are not just about aesthetics but also about functionality and enhancing teamwork. Empathy emerges as a key theme, underscoring the necessity for mutual understanding to tackle user needs effectively in agile environments.

Send us feedback or episode suggestions.What does the future of UX look like? In today's episode, our host, Chris Strahl, sits down with Kate Moran, the VP of Research and Content at Nielsen Norman Group. They explore the promise of hyper-personalized experiences, the challenges of resource limitations, and the innovative potential of AI in accelerating design processes. Kate touches on the balance between speed and risk when integrating AI into products, highlighting the significance of human input in maintaining brand consistency and preventing unpredictability. Their conversation addresses ethical considerations, data privacy, and the societal impact of AI, emphasizing transparent communication from organizations.View the transcript of this episode.Check out our upcoming events.GuestKate Moran is an expert in UX research, writing, and strategy. She has made substantial contributions to the field through her research and thought leadership. Kate is Vice President of Research and Content at Nielsen Norman Group.HostChris Strahl is co-founder and CEO of Knapsack, host of @TheDSPod, DnD DM, and occasional river guide. You can find Chris on Twitter as @chrisstrahl and on LinkedIn.SponsorSponsored by Knapsack, the design system platform that brings teams together. Learn more at knapsack.cloud.

Send us feedback or episode suggestions.In this episode of The Design Systems Podcast, Chris Strahl welcomes Guy Segal, the director of digital ecosystem and design systems at Thomson Reuters. Guy shares his experience of building a design system that serves over 150+ brands and the importance of having a point of view when you are working to bring both quality and consistency to a large portfolio of products. From design system missionaries to trojan horses to carrots and sticks, Guy and Chris talk about how to gain the buy-in you need to build a design system product teams will want to use.View the transcript of this episode.Check out our upcoming events.GuestGuy Segal is a design leader with over 25 years of experience in the tech industry, specializing in UX, product design, and DesignOps. Leveraging his passion for design leadership and people management, he has a proven track record of fostering innovation and collaboration within design teams, establishing and nurturing design practices, and leading teams to success. Guy's expertise extends to various domains, including product, UX, and service design, as well as a strong background in web and UI development. In recent years, he has been focusing extensively on design systems, establishing and growing teams around the practice, and launching systems that optimize efficiency and enhance user experiences. Beyond his professional endeavors, Guy is an avid enthusiast of board games, food, and movies, welcoming conversations on diverse topics that extend beyond the realm of design.Guy’s Design Downtime podcast: http://designdowntime.com/HostChris Strahl is co-founder and CEO of Knapsack, host of @TheDSPod, DnD DM, and occasional river guide. You can find Chris on Twitter as @chrisstrahl and on LinkedIn.SponsorSponsored by Knapsack, the design system platform that brings teams together. Learn more at knapsack.cloud.

Mark Shuster, an Engineering Manager at Dropbox with a rich background in UX design and front-end development, dives into the evolution of design systems. He discusses the shift from strict guidelines to enabling transparent collaboration among teams. Mark highlights the significance of composability and the need for a culture of openness to enhance engagement in product development. He emphasizes balancing creative freedom with consistency, showcasing how good friction can fuel creativity while minimizing conflicts among diverse teams.

Send us feedback or episode suggestions.This week we are joined by Nick Hahn to explore how designers, engineers, product managers, and entire organizations have changed the way they think about and work with design systems. Nick shares insight from his experiences at IBM, InVision, Meta, and Bill.com to highlight the importance of collaboration, governance, education, and cultural adoption. Join host, Chris Strahl and Nick to understand how design systems evolved and what’s next..View the transcript of this episode.Check out our upcoming events.GuestNick Hahn has spent 20+ years working in the design industry. He specializes in the human side of Design, building scalable systems and operations for some of the top brands in the world, including IBM, Meta, and Bill.com.HostChris Strahl is co-founder and CEO of Knapsack, host of @TheDSPod, DnD DM, and occasional river guide. You can find Chris on Twitter as @chrisstrahl and on LinkedIn.SponsorSponsored by Knapsack, the design system platform that brings teams together. Learn more at knapsack.cloud.

Design experts Jina Anne and Adekunle Oduye discuss Figma's AI-generated designs, revamped UI, and future of design systems. They explore deeper code integrations, personalized user experiences with AI, and share insights from their upcoming book on design systems careers.

Send us feedback or episode suggestions.Today’s episode features Ashley Willard and Sarah Kimball (Skim) from Apiture, a smallish fintech company with big enterprise ambitions for its design system. Host Christ Strahl chats with Ashley and Skim about the challenges and opportunities their small team faces trying to navigate the complexities of building a design system that unifies the look and feel of different products and technologies and helps accelerate product delivery. Whether you're working in a large enterprise or a growing startup, their story provides valuable lessons on creating and maintaining effective design systems.View the transcript of this episode.Check out our upcoming events.GuestAshley is the Director of Product Design at Apiture and has worked in design and UX for 20+ years across many industries. She lives in Durham, NC.Skim is a Design Systems nerd who has been working in this space since 2018. She currently works as a Senior UX Engineer at Apiture.HostChris Strahl is co-founder and CEO of Knapsack, host of @TheDSPod, DnD DM, and occasional river guide. You can find Chris on Twitter as @chrisstrahl and on LinkedIn.SponsorSponsored by Knapsack, the design system platform that brings teams together. Learn more at knapsack.cloud.