The Freedom of Custom Experience Pipelines #

In his article, The Broken Promises of Design Systems; Why Following the Rules Won’t Get You to Great Products, Itai Vonshak, VP of Design at Google, reveals the hard truth about design systems. Vonshak spent years leading the Material Design team. He argues that design systems promise efficiency and consistency. Yet they have become rigid frameworks that stifle creativity and innovation.

I agree with Vonshak's critique. Design systems, like Material UI, lock designers and developers into a predefined box. They offer convenience and structure. But that convenience comes at a cost. Once you adopt these systems, you are trapped in their ecosystem. You have to follow their updates and adapt to their changes. It is a golden cage. It reminds me of users who want to switch hardware but are stuck with software features they cannot easily leave behind.

In my approach, I steer clear of ready-made components. Instead, I work with clients to build continuous experience pipelines. These are flexible, tailor-made systems built for their needs and branding, their corporate identity (CI). They go beyond the boundaries of traditional design systems. They give a dynamic foundation that evolves with the business. We create modular components that are small and adaptable. Teams can innovate, reinvent and reshape experiences freely.

Unlike rigid design systems, our continuous experience pipelines let clients redraw and layer their components easily. Teams are not bound by limitations. They can stay ahead as trends and technologies change.

I see the appeal of design systems. I also see their limits. Innovative and adaptable digital products need solutions that are consistent, dynamic and open to change.

Check my previous thoughts on experience pipelines for more on building an effective experience pipeline.