Design System Checklist: What to Include in 2025

Creating a design system feels exciting — until it turns into chaos.
Tokens scattered, components inconsistent, documentation half-written… we've all been there.

That’s where a design system checklist becomes essential.
It’s not about perfection — it’s about clarity, consistency, and knowing what’s missing.

Here’s a practical checklist to help you build, audit, or improve your system — whether you're just starting or scaling.

🧱 1. Foundation Layer

The base of your system. If this isn’t stable, nothing else is.

•  Typography scale defined

•  Color system with roles (not just swatches)

•  Spacing + sizing scale

•  Grid system

•  Elevation / shadows

•  Border radius + line weight rules

•  Design tokens exported (JSON or style dictionary)

🎯 Pro tip: Use tools like Tokens Studio or Style Dictionary to make this part dev-ready.

🧩 2. Core Components

The reusable parts. Focus on usability, states, and clarity.

•  Buttons (all states, sizes, and types)

•  Inputs (text fields, checkboxes, toggles)

•  Forms (validation, feedback, accessibility)

•  Modals, alerts, banners

•  Navigation (tabs, drawers, breadcrumbs)

•  Cards and content containers

•  Loading indicators + skeleton states

•  Empty states and error UI

•  Mobile + responsive states

Use a consistent naming pattern across all components. It’ll save everyone’s sanity later.

📚 3. Documentation

If it’s not documented, it’s not scalable.

•  Getting started guide

•  Principles + voice of the system

•  Component usage guidelines

•  Do/Don’t examples

•  Dev handoff instructions

•  Token reference

•  Versioning + changelog

•  Contribution model (how people suggest updates)

•  Governance process (who approves changes)

Consider tools like Zeroheight or Storybook for real-time, designer-friendly documentation.

🧠 4. Behavior & UX Patterns

Most systems stop at visuals. Great ones include behavior.

•  Onboarding patterns

•  Loading & feedback (snackbars, toasts)

•  Empty + edge cases

•  Data entry flows

•  Error handling patterns

•  Accessibility rules

•  Keyboard + touch interaction logic

This is where User Psychology 3 comes in — a visual UX behavior library built for Figma. It helps make systems more intuitive, not just more consistent.

🧮 5. Dev Integration

Your design system isn’t complete if it lives only in Figma.

•  Token exports are synced with codebase

•  Components mapped to real code (React, Vue, etc.)

•  Live previews (e.g., Storybook or Backlight)

•  CI/CD or GitHub workflow in place

•  Version control and rollback options

•  Clear handoff between design and dev teams

💬 Final Thought

A design system checklist isn’t about checking boxes — it’s about shipping with confidence.

Start small.
Document what you can.
Improve with every product shipped.

Because the goal isn’t to build the perfect system.
It’s to build one your team actually trusts — and wants to use.