Design system
Also called: UI design system
ELI5
A shared kit and rules for building consistent interfaces.
Used in conversation
“The design system needs governance, not just a component library.”
Definition
A maintained set of reusable components, patterns, tokens and standards for creating consistent interfaces.
Here “Design system” means: A maintained set of reusable components, patterns, tokens and standards for creating consistent interfaces.
Pitch context
You will see “Design system” in product strategy decks, roadmaps, experiments and architecture reviews when the discussion reaches requirements, stories & service design.
Why it matters: It helps a reader interpret requirements, stories & service design without confusing the measure, decision, role or evidence being discussed.
Sources & evidence · 2
Supporting source families. This entry is an editorial synthesis rather than a quotation from one canonical glossary.
- Scrum Guides — The Scrum Guide — official current versionSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- National Institute of Standards and Technology — Computer Security Resource Center GlossarySupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16