Design System Course

Lesson 1 • Core Components and Anatomy

Breaks down the structural layers: tokens, components, patterns, and guidelines. Learners map each layer to its role in a functioning system.

Lesson 2 • Stakeholders and Team Roles

Identifies who owns, contributes to, and consumes a design system. Clarifies responsibilities across design, engineering, and product functions.

Lesson 3 • Business Value and ROI

Quantifies efficiency gains, consistency improvements, and reduced rework. Connects system investment to measurable product outcomes.

Lesson 1 • Elevation, Motion, and Shape Tokens

Extends the token model to shadow, border radius, and animation values. Completes the full visual language needed for consistent component design.

Lesson 2 • Introduction to Design Tokens

Explains tokens as named, platform-agnostic design decisions stored as data. Grounds learners in the token model before building any visual language.

Lesson 3 • Token Naming and Governance

Defines naming conventions and versioning rules that keep tokens maintainable at scale. Learners apply governance practices to prevent token sprawl.

Lesson 4 • Color System Architecture

Structures color into primitive, semantic, and component-level tokens. Learners design a scalable palette that supports light and dark modes.

Lesson 1 • Component States and Interactions

Maps all interactive states—default, hover, focus, disabled, error—into component design. Ensures complete state coverage before handoff.

Lesson 2 • Component API and Props Design

Defines how components expose configuration through variants, states, and properties. Learners design flexible APIs that balance power with simplicity.

Lesson 3 • Atomic Design Methodology

Introduces atoms, molecules, organisms, templates, and pages as a compositional framework. Learners classify existing UI elements within this hierarchy.

Lesson 4 • Responsive and Adaptive Components

Designs components that adapt to breakpoints, container sizes, and device contexts. Learners apply responsive logic without duplicating component definitions.

Lesson 1 • Library Quality Assurance

Applies visual regression testing, linting, and peer review to maintain library integrity. Learners establish a QA process before any component ships.

Lesson 2 • Design Tool Library Setup

Configures a shared design tool library with organized pages, naming, and token connections. Establishes the file structure teams will use daily.

Lesson 3 • Building Core UI Components

Constructs foundational components—buttons, inputs, cards, modals—following token and API principles from prior chapters. Produces a reusable baseline set.

Lesson 4 • Storybook and Living Documentation

Deploys components in an interactive documentation environment for real-time testing. Connects design and engineering through a shared, always-current reference.

Lesson 1 • Token Pipeline Architecture

Builds an automated pipeline that transforms design tokens into platform-specific outputs. Learners configure transformation tools to serve web, iOS, and Android.

Lesson 2 • CSS and Code Token Implementation

Implements tokens as CSS custom properties, SCSS variables, and JavaScript constants. Learners validate that code tokens match design tool values exactly.

Lesson 3 • Cross-Platform Token Strategy

Extends token delivery to native mobile and other platforms without duplicating source data. Ensures visual consistency across all product surfaces.

Lesson 1 • Composition and Slot Patterns

Applies slot-based composition to build flexible layouts from fixed components. Learners design composable structures that avoid rigid, one-off solutions.

Lesson 2 • Page Templates and Layouts

Creates grid-based page templates that teams can adapt without redesigning from scratch. Standardizes layout decisions across product areas.

Lesson 3 • Understanding UI Patterns

Distinguishes UI patterns from components and explains when to codify a pattern. Learners identify high-value patterns worth standardizing in their system.

Lesson 4 • Common Interaction Patterns

Documents and designs patterns for forms, data tables, empty states, and error handling. Provides reusable solutions to the most frequent product challenges.

Lesson 1 • Breaking Change Management

Plans and communicates breaking changes to minimize disruption for consuming teams. Learners create migration guides and deprecation timelines.

Lesson 2 • Contribution Workflow Design

Creates a structured process for external teams to propose, build, and submit system additions. Lowers barriers to contribution while maintaining quality standards.

Lesson 3 • Semantic Versioning for Design Systems

Applies semantic versioning to communicate breaking changes, new features, and patches. Learners write changelogs and manage version communication to consumers.

Lesson 4 • Adoption Metrics and Health Tracking

Defines and tracks metrics that reveal system adoption, coverage, and component usage. Learners build dashboards that guide prioritization decisions.

Lesson 1 • Managing System Complexity

Identifies signs of system bloat and applies strategies to reduce complexity without breaking consumers. Learners audit and refactor large, aging systems.

Lesson 2 • Multi-Brand and Theming Architecture

Extends the token system to support multiple brands or white-label products from one codebase. Learners design theme layers that isolate brand decisions from core logic.

Lesson 3 • Internationalization and Localization

Adapts components and tokens to support right-to-left layouts, locale-specific typography, and translated content. Ensures the system works globally.

Lesson 4 • Future-Proofing and Technology Evolution

Evaluates emerging technologies and standards that may affect system architecture. Learners build adaptable systems that absorb change without full rewrites.