Build a Design System

Use this when the product is paying for inconsistency. Audit, tokens, then the components you will actually maintain. This is months, not a Figma file rename.

Steps

Inventory and specs sit together. Implementation is the build, not a prompt. Docs and rollout close it.

Frequently asked questions

Where does accessibility fit?

In the component spec. Run an accessibility audit if the existing product is already a barrier. Do not wait for the new library to save you.

We only need a Figma library. Skip the rest?

Then you do not need this workflow. A rename of components without tokens, states, and a rollout is a file, not a system.

How long does this take?

Months. Ship foundations first: color, type, button, input. Do not announce a system the day you invent the first token.