A design system is a shared language: tokens for color and type, components for UI patterns, and governance for how they evolve. Without it, brands drift with every new landing page.
Tokens first
Define semantic tokens—primary text, surface, border—rather than only raw hex codes. Semantic naming survives palette refreshes with fewer find-and-replace disasters.
Components with states
Buttons, inputs, and cards need documented states: hover, focus, disabled, and error. Accessibility is not optional—contrast, focus rings, and labels belong in the system.
Documentation and adoption
Storybook or similar previews help designers and developers align. Usage guidelines beat a PDF nobody opens.
Governance
Appoint owners for proposals and deprecations. Version changes. Communicate breaking updates with migration notes.