On Theme: Design Systems in Depth

There’s so much happening in the world of design systems: so much noise, so many new tools, and so much pressure. Where to start?Building on what I wrote on the Zeroheight blog, in this minisode I’m offering tactical suggestions for cutting through the noise.I cover the three areas you should be focusing on in your design system right now—MCPs, skills, and agents.md; how to get started designing with code; and defining design guidelines and semantic components—plus a detour into governance and ways of working.But the bit that’s occupying my brain space right now is that I believe that design system practitioners are uniquely positioned to help organizations change how they work with AI, because we own the layer that says: this is how you build UI and how design and engineering collaborate. Maybe the most important thing that you can be doing is thinking about how you can help your product teams think about what it means to build products today, and how we do it.ResourcesMy writing for Zeroheight:AI in design systems: What’s changing in 20263 practical ways LLMs can support design systems teams today (Oct 2025)Some Murphy Trueman hits:The prompt you never wroteYour next design system user is an agentYour design system might be AI-ready. Your organisation probably isn't.Your design system has opinions. They're just not being enforcedThe AI feedback loop: When design systems train the models that critique themThe bidirectional design system: When code talks back to designErika Flowers, Open Vector📲 Send me a text!Support the show

Y’all know I am fully bought in on design-with-code tools, so I loved this episode with Robin Cannon, VP of Product at Knapsack and former IBM Carbon and J.P. Morgan Salt design system exec, on why he thinks the infinite canvas is obsolete, and what we might replace it with. Robin chats with us about a future where software design happens in the same medium as production code, making the “infinite canvas” abstraction obsolete. But what does “designing with code” really look like today… and in the future? We explore a world with tools that could enable us to build with design-system rules plus broader product context. Plus we discuss why today’s design-with-code tools aren’t quite there yet, the enterprise barriers to working in new ways, and you as a designer can make this shift.Links & ReferencesRobin Cannon on LinkedInrobin-cannon.comBuilding for coherence, not compliance, lessons from Baldurs Gate 3, by Murphy TruemanErika Flowers, Zero Vector and Open Vector design approachAgentic Development is just MMOs for Coding, and I am LFG, Erika FlowersKnapsackDessn and Mockdown💖 Season 2 of On Theme is officially here! 🎉 💖 If you like what you're hearing from On Theme, hit subscribe in your favorite podcast platform and sign up to get episode release notes at designsystemsontheme.com! On Theme is  sponsor free and listener supported, so please support the show with a monthly donation.📲 Send me a text!Support the show

Noelle joins me again for some 2026 predictions trend encapsulations, and we try to unpack the absolute madness of the first two months of 2026. 1️⃣  Designing with code is in, making pictures of UIs is out. 2️⃣ The new critical deliverables for systems teams are design guidelines, agent rules, tokens, and semantic APIs. 3️⃣ We're gonna see a real focus on brand expression, but also on one-offs. 4️⃣ Design system teams, you do organizational behavior change. 5️⃣ The next chapter of the design system narrative is around quality rather than efficiency. Plus: the rise of the design engineer and a return to the early 2000s ways of working? I hope so!, nothingburger brands, and design systems gatekeeping.Season 2 of On Theme is officially here! 🎉 💖 If you like what you're hearing from On Theme, please hit subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. On Theme is  sponsor free and listener supported, so please support the show with a monthly donation.📲 Send me a text!Support the show

My very first minisode of the entire podcast was some 2025 predictions, and a lot has changed. (Honestly, what was I thinking trying to make predictions in the era of AI? fml) Noelle Lansford joined me for Season Two's official first episode to  recap my 2025 predictions with me and look back on the trends and themes we saw in design-systems-land last year.Stay tuned for part two where we dive in to our 2026 predictions!📲 Send me a text!Support the show

I'm back from Zeroheight's Converge conference in Bristol, UK, with my recap and thoughts. In this minisode, find out my three major themes from the event: reducing complexity, shifting towards code to design, and the narratives "framing our future". Resources & Links:Zeroheight's Converge3 practical ways LLMs can support design systems teams today, on the Zeroheight blogFrom Promises to Practice: the Future of Design Systems, my talk at Converge (video coming soon)John Voss's talk Framing the Future (coming soon)US Section 174 R&D Tax explained📲 Send me a text!Support the show

Surprise minisode! In this quick episode, hear a few ways AI tools are useful for design systems now, my new favorite design-eng handoff tool, and three can't-miss industry events this fall.📲 Send me a text!Support the show

In this discussion, Natalya Shelburne—a designer and educator leading the Primer Design System at GitHub—shares her insights on nurturing creativity in the tech world. She emphasizes the need for design leaders to foster safe spaces for innovation and overcome fear-driven management styles. Exploring the relationship between creativity and AI, Natalya underscores the potential for upheaval to spark new opportunities. Additionally, she highlights the importance of hobbies and play in cultivating creativity, adapting approaches for collaboration, and navigating the evolving landscape of design systems.

Sam Anderson, Director of the Intuit Design System, discusses the evolution of design systems in the context of AI’s rapid advancement. He emphasizes viewing design systems as essential infrastructure for business success and shares insights on the importance of design patterns. Anderson dispels fears surrounding AI, suggesting it will enhance the value of design professionals instead of replacing them. The conversation also touches on bridging the gap between design and code and embracing change with optimism, highlighting the need for creativity in challenging times.

Guy Segal joins Elyse to unpack the messy, complicated world of… people. Guy shares practical strategies from his experience at Thomson Reuters, including the powerful "pre-mortem" exercise he used to rebuild trust and alignment for the design system. They get vulnerable and unpack why (as cliche as it sounds!) genuine listening, storytelling, learning to give and receive feedback, and actively engaging with product teams, is so much more impactful than relying solely on processes or artifacts. Plus, Guy shares why he hated it at first when product teams started using the name of the design system.Links & ReferencesGuy Segal on LinkedInGuy's talk at BeMore Festival on feedback, Working with Humans: Resolving Conflicts with EmpathyGuy's talk Mastering the Painless Design CritiqueGuy on the Knapsack Design Systems PodcastGuy's podcast, Design Downtime, celebrating the joys of living a balanced creative life outside the pixels and wireframesBrad Frost's article Choosing a Name for your Design System💖 On Theme is a brand new podcast, so if you like what you're hearing, please hit subscribe and sign up at designsystemsontheme.com!🎨🎟️ Into Design Systems is May 25-28Get your ticket at intodesignsystems.com/onthemeInto Design Systems is back with their annual virtual conference, May 28-30, 2025. Get your ticket now for three days of practical, hands on sessions showing the what, why, and how of design systems. This year, the conference is focused on developer handoff, accessibility, multi brand theming, and governance. You'll get hands on knowledge you can put to use at work immediately, files and resources to take away, and hear from very well known industry speakers. 📲 Send me a text!Support the show

Ben Callahan joins Elyse for a fun conversation on creating impact with design systems. Ben shares insights from his consulting experience, discussing common pitfalls like organizations expecting a design system without adequately supporting their teams. They break down the "Four Quadrants of Design System Impact" framework, which breaks down tactical versus strategic work, helping teams avoid pitfalls like endless component creation. Plus, hear Ben’s predictions for the future of design systemsLinks & ReferencesBen Callahan on LinkedInThe QuestionRedwoods, Ben's community supporting design system practitionersBen's post on The Four Quadrants and Why you’re NOT seeing Holistic Impact from your Design SystemBen's overview of our episode of The QuestionCam Worboy's Broken Promises of Design Systems talk at Config 2024 (and the worst screen made with DS components)Kotter's Leading Change book💖 On Theme is a brand new podcast, so if you like what you're hearing, please hit subscribe and sign up at designsystemsontheme.com!🎨🎟️ Into Design Systems is May 25-28Get your ticket at intodesignsystems.com/onthemeInto Design Systems is back with their annual virtual conference, May 28-30, 2025. Get your ticket now for three days of practical, hands on sessions showing the what, why, and how of design systems. This year, the conference is focused on developer handoff, accessibility, multi brand theming, and governance. You'll get hands on knowledge you can put to use at work immediately, files and resources to take away, and hear from very well known industry speakers. 📲 Send me a text!Support the show