What is a Design System
A design system is a centralized collection of reusable components, design patterns, guidelines, and standards that ensure consistency, accessibility, and efficiency across digital products.
Why Is It Important
Consistency: Ensures a cohesive look and feel across all city websites and services.
Efficiency: Speeds up design and development by providing ready-to-use components and templates.
Accessibility: Embeds inclusive design and WCAG standards into every component from the start.
Scalability: Supports future growth and new digital services without reinventing the wheel.
Collaboration: Bridges the gap between designers, developers, and content creators with shared language and tools.
Key Features
Design Tokens: Smaller elements that are used to create larger components, as well as shared variables for colors, spacing, and typography to ensure consistency across platforms.
Component Library: A robust set of accessible, responsive building blocks built for web editors to customize their content.
Guidelines: Provides clear documentation to help teams understand when and how to use each component effectively, ensuring consistent and purposeful design decisions.
