Build the system, not the screen

the problem

Eight designers, no shared language. Every screen was a negotiation. Components existed but nobody trusted them — the system had grown organically and nobody could explain the rules.

the approach

Audited every component in production. Mapped the gaps between what Figma said and what shipped. Rebuilt the token architecture from scratch — spacing, colour, typography — then worked with engineering to align implementation. Ran weekly system reviews until the team could self-govern.

the outcome

Design system became the source of truth. New screens went from concept to dev-ready in half the time. Designers stopped reinventing and started composing.

50% reduction in design-to-dev handoff time