Can Design Systems Coexist with Authentic UX Problem-Solving?

"Are we obsessed with over-standardization?" questioned my designer friend.

I was catching up with her after 9 months over FaceTime, and the conversation quickly steered into vent-out session. Post the initial pleasantries.. as we were meandering through our shared realms of UX, we stumbled upon a topic that had her animatedly leaning over the camera - the ever-pervasive design systems.

She shared how, in her recent project, the reliance on a rigid design system felt like navigating a maze with no exits for creative exploration. "It's like putting creativity in a straitjacket," she exclaimed, her hands dramatically miming the motion. ????

I wondered – are we, in our pursuit of streamlined efficiency, losing sight of what truly lies at the heart of UX design – understanding and solving our users' unique problems?

I reminded her: there can be a balance, a way to strike the perfect chord between the methodical world of design systems and the vibrant, creative spirit of problem solving.

Our conversation triggered me to write this article. Let's dig in..

The Allure of Design Systems – A Double-Edged Sword

Design systems. They're like our trusty GPS in the complex journey of UX design, guiding us with predefined routes and shortcuts. But as my convo with my friend reinforced, it's not all smooth sailing. ????

1. The Comfort Zone of Design Systems: Picture this: You're working on a tight deadline, and you've got this design system at your fingertips, ready to deploy. It's like having a magic wand that conjures up buttons, grids, tables, forms, and data-viz in a snap. ???? But here's the catch: Sometimes, in this comfort zone, we risk becoming a bit... well, complacent and even misguided. Instead of focusing on user problem, we may only look at the UI and then try to retro-fit design system components to the problem we're solving? ??
2. The Creativity Conundrum: Remember the last time you had a 'Eureka!' moment? That thrill of creating something unique, something that perfectly solves a user’s problem? The act of exploring and carefully crafting a solution that fits exactly, and is not a one-size-fits-all compromise? When we lean too heavily on design systems, we unintentionally put our creative muscles on the back burner. It's like always choosing a paint-by-numbers kit over a blank canvas. Sure, it's easier, but does it limit our artistic potential? ????♂?
3. Striking a Balance: Here’s the million-dollar question: How do we harness the efficiency of design systems without sacrificing our creative spark? It's like being a gourmet chef; you have your go-to recipes, but there's always room to experiment with new flavors and ingredients. ????? This balancing act is crucial. It's about knowing when to stick to the system and when to break free, to innovate. We should imagine design systems as a toolkit rather than a rulebook. They're there to help, but not to dictate every move. ?????

Before I discuss the strategies that can help strike this balance, let's get inspired by some real world journeys..

Real-World Examples: Mastering the Dance of Systems and Creativity

Many companies and teams have successfully balanced the structure of design systems with creative freedom. Here's a look at a few standout cases that really put this into perspective. ????

Airbnb DLS:

• Airbnb's design system, famously known as 'DLS', revolutionized how they approached design. But what's remarkable is how they maintained creativity.
• They implemented a system that offered consistency and efficiency, yet designers at Airbnb are encouraged to think outside the box, particularly when addressing unique challenges in different regions. This blend of standardization and local customization is evident in how they adapt user interfaces to reflect cultural nuances, making each experience feel both global and personalized. ????

Google Material UI:

• Google’s Material Design is another excellent example. It's a comprehensive design system, but Google doesn't let it restrict creativity.
• Take Google Maps: it uses Material Design principles but goes beyond them to solve specific user problems, like incorporating detailed, context-specific information and intuitive navigation tools. Google’s ability to adapt Material Design to fit different product needs shows how creativity can flourish within a system's boundaries. ?????

IBM Carbon Design:

• IBM's Carbon Design System offers an interesting case. Known for its comprehensive guidelines and robust components, it serves as a solid backbone for IBM's varied products.
• A notable application is seen in IBM's security software, where the design team used Carbon's foundations but went a step further. They introduced unique visualizations and interactive elements tailored to complex cybersecurity data. This creative adaptation helped make highly technical information accessible and user-friendly, showcasing how a design system can serve as a launching pad for innovative, specialized solutions. ????

Spotify Glue:

• Spotify's design system, named 'Glue', is renowned for its cohesive and scalable approach to UI design. Yet, the creativity in their user interface shines through in how they personalize the user experience.
• Despite using standardized components, Spotify's UI creatively adapts to display personalized playlists, dynamic album art, and mood-based music recommendations. This individualized approach illustrates how design systems can coexist with and even enhance a platform's unique, creative user experience. ????

Fostering Creativity Within Design Systems

Reflecting on the above examples, I want to highlight how we embrace these principles in my team. Here’s a glimpse into our strategies. ????

1. Flexibility Within Frameworks: In our team, we view our design system as a flexible guideline rather than a rigid rulebook. We encourage each other to experiment within its boundaries, whether it’s through exploring new color schemes or tweaking UI elements to suit specific needs, all while maintaining the system’s core principles. For example: We recently reimagined our approach to data-viz and table designs, introducing subtle variations that better reflected our content's diversity, yet remained true to our design language.
2. Purpose-Driven Design Choices: Our leaders always emphasizes starting with the 'why' behind every design element. This approach has led us to not just accept the default options but to thoughtfully consider how each component serves the user experience. For example: We transformed a standard form interface by incorporating unique micro-interactions, enhancing its functionality and user engagement, inspired by direct user feedback.
3. Leveraging User Insights for Innovation: User feedback is sacred in our team. It's the cornerstone for many of our creative breakthroughs, guiding us on where and how to push the boundaries of our design system to better serve our users. For example: User input led us to rethink a page header pattern that, while compliant with our design system, was not intuitive for our audience, prompting a creative redesign.
4. Collaborative Creativity Sessions: Regular brainstorming is a staple in our team. These sessions are where we collectively push the limits of our design system, coming up with innovative solutions that respect the system’s structure. For example: Our team workshops have been the birthplace of several creative solutions, including a revamp of our dashboard and onboarding user interface that significantly improved usability.
5. Personal Projects as Creative Fuel: Our leaders encourage personal projects as a means to keep our creative edges sharp. This freedom allows us to explore new ideas without constraints, which often leads to innovative thinking that can be adapted back into our professional work. For example: A team member’s concept re-imagining our app provided fresh perspectives that we later incorporated into our own design system, enabling scalability.

We (and hope that others too) strive for a dynamic space where the structure of the design system serves as a launchpad for innovative thinking, not barrier.

"Design is so simple, that's why it is so complicated" (Paul Rand)

In essence, our exploration reveals that in UX design it's not a tug-of-war between design systems and problem solving, but a smart partnership. We should view design systems as creative springboards, not constraints. Leaders should encourage this blend, which should be further enriched by continuous learning and personal creative pursuits. Ultimately, this approach should lead to designs that are not only visually appealing but deeply resonant with users. ????????????

Does this resonate with you? How does your team stay cognizant of this trap of over-standardization, and overcome the same? Please share your thoughts and learnings. ??