The Five Adoption Traps
How to build a Design System people will actually use
Why do most Design Systems fail? Adoption.
As a Design System consultant, I’ve found that many companies already have abandoned components, Figma files, or documentation sitting unused. The problem isn’t a technical one—it’s that teams don’t adopt the system. People are busy, set in their ways, and reluctant to change, even if it could save time later.
The real challenge lies in overcoming ingrained habits and organizational micro-processes. A Design System can’t succeed without broad buy-in, which requires overcoming resistance from both individuals and leadership. Let’s dive into the five most common adoption traps, and what you can do to avoid them.
Adoption Trap #1: Lack of prioritization
The most common adoption trap—and often the first hurdle—is the lack of prioritization for a Design System. This is especially true in less mature organizations operating in survival mode. These companies are focused on achieving product-market fit or satisfying demanding customers, making it easy to prioritize the "next big feature" over long-term infrastructure. The mindset is often, *just build this feature, adoption will grow, and we’ll have time for tech debt later.*
Sometimes, this focus is valid—early-stage startups often need to prioritize experimentation. But as companies grow, they may fail to realize the urgency of building foundational infrastructure, especially as design and engineering teams expand. Leadership often remains stuck in a “firefighting” mindset, making it hard to prioritize a Design System, even when it’s desperately needed.
And even if a Design System does get prioritized, this trap can resurface later. Infrastructure investments are future-focused, but immediate crises often overshadow them. When funding tightens or a key customer demands a new feature, resources for the Design System can be diverted, sometimes permanently.
How to avoid this trap
Regularly demonstrate the business value of a Design System to leadership.
Clearly communicate the costs of not investing in a Design System, framed in business terms.
Partner with a designer or engineer to create a prototype Design System as a side project. As grassroots support grows, it will strengthen your case for securing funding.
Adoption Trap # 2: Lack of user research
Lack of user research is a common reason for poor Design System adoption. If people are creating solutions outside your system, it could be a sign that the system isn’t meeting their needs, and user testing could help.
The mistake is assuming that as a designer, you fully understand what’s needed. Your perspective, while informed, is still just one viewpoint. Many roles—engineers, sales, marketing—will use the system, and each faces unique challenges. Assuming you know their pain points without research is naive. It’s your job to uncover these needs beforehand.
Design Systems are internal products. And while most designers would shudder at the idea of building a product without user testing, it’s surprising how often it gets overlooked when creating Design Systems.
Testing is not only overlooked at the start but also during and after launch. Teams are often urged to use a system without seeking feedback, assuming adoption will naturally improve everything. But that’s like launching an app and berating users into using it—clearly flawed logic. Developing a Design System without user testing is no different.
How to avoid this trap
Regularly audit Design System users through interviews or simple surveys.
Establish clear channels for user feedback, such as Slack groups or ongoing surveys.
Use team feedback to prioritize and guide your focus areas.
Adoption Trap #3: Lack of cross-functional ownership
A common impediment to Design System adoption is lack of cross-functional ownership—leaving engineers (or designers) behind. It’s tempting to create a Design System solo. Or, if you’ve got the resources, take your whole design team on an off-site and belt out a ‘Design System’ in a few days. You know whatever you make is going to be logical, beautiful and scalable. A gleaming gem of interdependent symbols which is going to solve everyone’s consistency problems. I’ll admit, this is my fantasy, too. And while it’s a beautiful dream, alas, it’s the siren call of the Design System graveyard.
Here’s what happens: you unveil the completed system to other teams, confident it will solve all problems. “Ta da! I have solved all our troubles! You're welcome!” But since those teams weren’t involved, they don’t understand how to use it or see its value. Lacking ownership, they’re unlikely to adopt it, especially if it slows them down or feels irrelevant.
As time passes, you spend countless meetings trying to enforce the system. Yet bespoke solutions continue to pop up, and engineers ignore specs. Progress stalls, and adoption falters.
This scenario is all too common but avoidable. Building a successful Design System requires collaboration from the start. It’s not as quick or straightforward as working alone, but collaboration is the only way to ensure your system is truly embraced.
How to Avoid This Trap
Ask cross-functional teams for input by asking, “What could be improved?”
Show teams how their feedback is being incorporated into the Design System.
Deliver quick wins by addressing a simple yet meaningful problem for users.
Engage ‘ambassadors’ from various product areas to collaborate and advocate for the system.
Adoption Trap #4: Lack of leadership buy-in
While it’s crucial to involve cross-functional teams in a Design System, it’s equally important to gain leadership’s buy-in. A successful Design System impacts everyone in the organization, but leadership ultimately approves the investment. They are responsible for balancing competing priorities, so you must clearly communicate how the system benefits the business. As Katlyn Hova put it, “If managers don’t understand the fundamental gains of a Design System to the company, you’re just not going to get it.”
This adoption trap can appear in various forms. An engineering manager might see the system as a design tool with little value for engineers, leading to lukewarm support. A CEO might not see immediate results and decide to pull resources from the project. Or sales might operate independently, showing potential customers inconsistent products, creating mistrust from the start.
In these situations, it’s easy to blame the individual. “Why can’t -insert name here- understand this is going to help the situation? Why won’t they just get out of my way?” But the truth is, they likely share the same goal: a better product and stronger collaboration. They just don’t see the Design System as the solution. As advocates, it’s our job to bridge that gap, align priorities, and make the case for the system’s value. Ultimately, this adoption trap boils down to a lack of communication, and addressing it requires building alignment across teams and leadership.
How to avoid this trap
Schedule regular meetings with leadership (bi-weekly or monthly) to showcase progress and results.
Tailor your communication to focus on high-level benefits and how the Design System will support the company’s goals.
Avoid jargon, and remember that your audience may not share your priorities or perspective—focus on what matters to them.
Adoption Trap #5: Ignoring MVP
The final adoption trap is ignoring the concept of a minimum viable product (MVP). For designers, this trap is both easy to fall into and entirely avoidable. It’s tempting to get lost in the process of creating a Design System. The act of simplifying complexity can be exhilarating, and the endless decisions required can easily sidetrack you. For example, cleaning up a type ladder might lead to overhauling your product’s typography, or organizing a color palette might spark debates across the company.
Design Systems, like design itself, are highly visible and often elicit strong opinions. Whether you’re crafting a private masterpiece or drowning in endless debates, delays can push your system toward irrelevance. The biggest issue with this approach is slow delivery. If results take too long, leadership may lose faith in the project, even if they’ve contributed to the delays. At the same time, loss of momentum can cause team members to disengage, making adoption even harder.
Early in my career, I made this mistake myself. I decided to start with a complete manual overhaul of our icon set, spending weeks puttering with details that didn’t address immediate needs. Unsurprisingly, I was reassigned, and the Design System effort stalled. Looking back, I can’t blame my manager for the decision. It was a hard lesson in the importance of starting small and delivering results early.
How to Avoid This Trap
Focus on delivering small, impactful wins rather than tackling large, ambitious projects.
Resist the urge to aim for perfection—progress matters more.
Keep user impact at the forefront of your decisions.
Regularly ask, “Do we really need this now?” If the answer is “no” or “maybe,” set it aside for later.
Conclusion
Creating a Design System is complex, especially at the start. By recognizing these adoption traps and employing strategies to avoid them, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the challenges of driving cultural change within your company.
