Even with strong leadership support and cross-team communication in place, getting individual teams to adopt the design system is an entirely different challenge. Each team has their own roadmap, their own deadlines, and often their own way of doing things. Adoption requires time, effort, and a shift in mindset, and none of that happens by accident.

The Adoption Challenge

  • Teams are focused on delivering features, not refactoring.
  • Shifting to a shared system can mean changing workflows or undoing work already done.
  • Contributing to the system can feel like “extra” work, especially when it doesn’t immediately serve their short-term goals.

What Helped Us Gain Traction

1. Empowering the Tiger Team
This group of designers became champions of the system within their own teams. They served as bridges between the design system and day-to-day work, offering feedback and helping their teammates implement consistent patterns.

2. Becoming the Squeaky Wheel
Every opportunity we had, we talked about the design system. We gave demos, presented new components, and constantly communicated about updates. Repetition helped normalize it as part of the product conversation.

3. Starting with Buttons
Instead of trying to build an all-encompassing system from day one, we began with a single, universally-used element: buttons. This let us:

  • Iron out the documentation and approval process
  • Test implementation workflows
  • Build a sense of progress without overwhelming teams

Once teams successfully integrated buttons, it was easier to scale adoption to other components.

4. Stakeholder Reinforcement
Leadership played an ongoing role by encouraging (and in some cases, requiring) teams to use the system. When adoption becomes a top-down priority, it reduces friction and legitimizes the work.

Takeaway

Adoption doesn’t happen because a system exists. It happens because people advocate for it, simplify it, and lead by example. Starting small and keeping the momentum going are key.

Note: This article was co-written with the help of AI to improve clarity and structure.