
Don't Build a Design System Until You See These 3 Signals
From A Digital Strategy Podcast by Tennis
June 5, 2026 · 14 min · Episode 48
About this episode
Symon and Marcello discuss the signals indicating readiness for a design system and the importance of user adoption.
The worst design system project is one that starts too early. Wrong timing, wrong scope, wrong people and it dies in a folder somewhere, untouched. In this episode, Symon and Marcello break down the three signals that tell you you're actually ready for a design system, the two signs you're definitely not, and how to scope a version one that people will actually use. They also cover the build or buy decision, and why adoption matters more than architecture. This is Part 3 of a 3-part series on design systems.
People in this episode
Host: Symon
Guest: Marcello
Topics covered
- design systems
- project management
- user adoption
- scoping
- build vs buy
Keywords
- design system
- signals
- project scope
- user adoption
- build or buy
More episodes of A Digital Strategy Podcast
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- The Truth About Agency Growth, Pricing, and Why Agencies Fail | ft. Eli Rubel · May 22, 2026 · 38 min
- What a Design System Actually Is (Explained by Someone Who Builds One) · May 15, 2026 · 26 min
- Why people don't trust your business · May 8, 2026 · 19 min
- Design Is on Trial (And the Evidence Is Damning) · April 30, 2026 · 29 min
- AI Didn't Commoditize Design. Designers Did. · April 24, 2026 · 28 min
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