What makes a good design system?

A good design system provides reusable components, clear guidelines, and consistent patterns that ensure visual and functional consistency across products. It includes a component library with code examples, design tokens (colors, typography, spacing), usage guidelines, accessibility standards, and documentation. Good design systems are scalable, well-documented, and easy for teams to adopt. They balance flexibility with consistency—providing enough options without creating confusion. They're also living systems that evolve based on team needs and user feedback. Example: A design system might include button components with variants (primary, secondary, disabled) along with guidelines on when to use each, ensuring consistent implementation across teams.