Consistency is one of the key benefits of having a design system, and it refers to how things look and function the same across different parts of the product experience, allowing for a predictable user experience.
This is largely guaranteed if product teams use components and tokens from the design system, as they come from a single source of truth. However, there’s more to it than that. Another important factor is following patterns and usage guidance, ensuring that interface elements are used as intended, even in different contexts.
A consistent product experience can be jeopardised when designers and engineers deviate from design system standards and build custom or ad-hoc solutions.
However, this doesn’t mean that a design system should be seen as restrictive to innovation in the name of consistency. Standards and recommendations can evolve and adapt as new scenarios arise — a design system should be flexible enough to allow for this while maintaining consistency.
