Why designers and engineers need to collaborate on Design Systems from day one—And what to do when they can’t
If designers and engineers don’t work together on a design system from the very beginning, you’re not going to get very far. It’s a straightforward truth, but as many of us have learned, collaboration isn’t always as simple as it sounds. So, what do you do when you can’t find engineers to partner with on your design system project?
Let me tell you a story.
One time, I joined a client’s project where the engineering manager had already put a significant amount of effort into improving their design system. The thing was, it had been an entirely engineering-driven effort, without any input from designers. To them, the design system was a tool for engineering efficiency, and they didn’t see much need for additional collaboration.
By the time I joined the project, that same engineering manager felt like the design system was “done.” In his mind, there was no reason to allocate more of his team’s time to the initiative. From his perspective, the project didn’t need further investment—and certainly not from the engineering side.
Without engineering involvement, we hit a wall. We couldn’t make meaningful updates to the design system much less add new components. So, we did the best we could: we created Figma components from the already existing code.
Was it ideal? No. Was it the perfect representation of what a design system could be? Absolutely not. But it was a starting point. At least now, designers and engineers were using the same components and the same terminology.
The Moral of the Story: Meeting People Where They’re At
Sometimes, when collaboration isn’t possible in the way you’d hoped, you have to meet people where they’re at. In this case, that meant working with what had already been built, even if it wasn’t the ideal collaborative process.
But here’s the silver lining: by demonstrating the value of aligning design with the existing codebase, we began to shift perceptions. The engineering manager started to see how a more collaborative approach could improve the design system’s usability and scalability over time.
What Can You Learn from This?
Start with what you have: Even if you don’t have engineering buy-in right away, begin where you can. Use existing resources to create something that adds value, even in small ways.
Demonstrate the value of collaboration: Instead of trying to force collaboration, show how alignment between design and engineering can benefit both sides. Highlight efficiency gains, reduced maintenance costs, or better user experiences.
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of progress: Sometimes, the best you can do is make incremental improvements. That’s okay. A design system is a living, evolving entity—it doesn’t have to be perfect from day one.
Build relationships, not just systems: A strong design system is built on trust and collaboration. Take time to understand the priorities of your engineering partners and find ways to align them with your goals.
Collaboration between designers and engineers is the cornerstone of any successful design system. But when that collaboration doesn’t exist yet, it can be up to us designers to find creative ways to bridge the gap. Sometimes, that means starting small. Sometimes, it means showing up and doing the work, even when the circumstances aren’t perfect.
And who knows? That small step might just be the beginning of something much bigger.
What’s your experience with building design systems in less-than-ideal situations? I’d love to hear your stories and strategies.
