Design System Do’s and Don’ts (Real-World Best Practices)

Every team starts with good intentions.
But most design systems fail not because of bad design —
but because of bad habits.

Here’s a clear list of do’s and don’ts to help you avoid common pitfalls and build a design system that actually works in the real world.

✅ Design System Do’s

1. Do Start Small and Expand

Begin with a few essential components and scale intentionally.
Starter kits lead to better adoption than bloated libraries.

💬 Progress beats perfection.

2. Do Define Tokens Early

Create a clear set of tokens for color, spacing, and typography.
Use consistent naming, and apply them from day one.

💬 Tokens are the foundation of your system’s flexibility.

3. Do Document as You Go

Even a single line of guidance per component saves hours.
Write small, often — don’t wait for a “perfect” docs launch.

💬 Documentation isn’t a task. It’s a habit.

4. Do Collaborate Across Teams

Bring in devs, PMs, and content designers early.
A siloed design system never lasts.

💬 Good systems are cross-functional by design.

5. Do Audit and Clean Regularly

Review components, tokens, and naming every quarter.
Delete what’s unused. Deprecate what’s outdated.

💬 A messy system is a system people avoid.

❌ Design System Don’ts

1. Don’t Over-Componentize Everything

You don’t need a component for every single thing.
Overbuilding creates noise, not value.

💬 Focus on patterns, not permutations.

2. Don’t Use Hardcoded Styles

Never use direct hex codes, fixed paddings, or shadows in components.
Use tokens — always.

💬 Hardcoding today = rework tomorrow.

3. Don’t Ignore Naming Conventions

Inconsistent naming breaks search, collaboration, and adoption.
Create a system, and stick to it.

💬 Naming is UX — for your team.

4. Don’t Forget Empty States and Edge Cases

Plan for loading, error, and empty UI just like you plan for success states.
Document all of them.

💬 If you don’t design it, someone will guess it.

5. Don’t Build It and Forget It

Design systems need maintenance.
No ownership = system drift.

💬 Without stewardship, systems become abandoned files.

📘 Learn From a System That Scales

Sigma Design System was built on these exact principles — clear tokens, lightweight components, flexible customization, and deep documentation.

Whether you're starting fresh or evolving your system, Sigma is a trusted foundation.