A design system's governance model defines how responsibilities for managing the system will be distributed and executed. These responsibilities encompass various tasks, including designing and developing the system, defining contribution workflows, incorporating contributions, authoring documentation, and more. The governance model ensures that the design system is maintained and evolves in a structured, sustainable manner. While different organisations may adopt different approaches, the two most common governance models are centralised and federated.
In a centralised governance model, the responsibilities for managing the design system are assigned to a dedicated team that serves the needs of other product teams. This team typically works closely with designers and engineers from product teams but remains ultimately accountable for the system's development, maintenance, and quality control. Centralised models can sometimes be seen as more restrictive since the team in charge has clear control over the design system, but they are also often more efficient in maintaining consistency and ensuring that the system adheres to a high standard of quality.
In contrast, a federated governance model distributes the design system responsibilities across individuals who are already embedded within product teams. These team members are partially dedicated to the design system but maintain their primary roles within their respective teams. This approach is more focused on collective collaboration, with a greater emphasis on shared ownership. However, it often lacks a single point of responsibility, which can lead to challenges in maintaining consistency and coherence across the design system.
While many organisations typically adopt one of these two models, it's not uncommon to see hybrid or alternative approaches. Some organisations may combine aspects of both centralised and federated models to address the unique challenges of each, allowing for more flexibility and collaboration while still ensuring that key aspects of governance are managed effectively.
