Checklist
The Design System Checklist
What a design system needs to actually get adopted — tokens, components, documentation, and governance, not just a Figma file nobody opens.
Most design systems die from lack of adoption, not lack of components. This checklist covers the parts that determine whether a design system gets used — or quietly ignored after month two.
Foundations (Tokens)
- Colour, spacing, and typography exist as named tokens, not hardcoded hex/pixel values
- Dark mode, if supported, is a token swap, not a separate design
- Tokens are the single source of truth in both Figma and code — not maintained twice
Components
- Every component has documented states: default, hover, focus, disabled, error, loading
- Components are built with real content lengths in mind, not just placeholder text
- Variants are limited to what is actually used — no speculative options nobody needs yet
Documentation
- Each component's usage guidelines say when to use it and when not to
- Code snippets in docs are copy-pasteable and actually work
- A changelog exists so teams know what changed and why
Governance
- A clear process exists for proposing a new component or requesting a change
- One person or team owns final decisions to prevent design-by-committee drift
- A contribution guide explains how someone outside the core team can add to it
Accessibility
- Every component meets WCAG AA contrast and focus-visible requirements by default
- Keyboard navigation is built into interactive components, not bolted on later
- Accessibility is tested with real assistive tech, not just an automated scanner
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