Design systems

Everything you need to know about building and scaling design systems in the age of AI

Schema 2025: Design systems for a new era
October 28, 2025
By Paige Costello
Design systems help teams push what’s possible while maintaining a high level of craft, polish, and performance. Here’s everything we announced at Schema by Figma to help teams design for the AI era.
Inside Figma
Design systems
Product updates
Events
News
Design systems: From the basics to big things ahead
October 21, 2025
By Madeline Stafford
To prepare for Schema 2025, we combed through Shortcut archives to pull together our design systems greatest hits.
Working Well
Design systems
Design
AI
Collaboration

Why AI agents are only as good as the context we give them

Design systems and AI: Why MCP servers are the unlock
August 6, 2025
By Ana Boyer
Paired with MCP servers, design systems become a productivity coefficient for AI-powered workflows, ensuring that AI agents produce output that’s relevant and on brand.
Working Well
Design systems
AI
Productivity
Why you should care about design context
September 24, 2025
By Thomas Lowry
As developers increasingly use agentic coding tools, the structure and clarity of design files matters more than ever. By thoughtfully organizing your work, you can help your developer counterparts build more efficiently and accurately.
Insights
Design
Design systems
AI
Design context, everywhere you build
September 23, 2025
By Kris Rasmussen
Our latest updates to the Figma MCP server and Code Connect bring Figma design context anywhere you work.
Inside Figma
Product updates
Dev Mode
Engineering
Figma Make
News

Design systems and AI: Why MCP servers are the unlock

Design systems are the lingua franca between design and AI.

Ana Boyer, Designer Advocate, Figma

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From design systems basics to the big picture

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Abstract artwork featuring orange organic shapes and green zigzag patterns on a blue background.

Design system 101: What is a design system?

February 12, 2024

By Chad Bergman

Understand the basics of design systems, what they are, how they work, and how they can change the way you design.

Insights
Design systems
Career & education
Design
UI/UX
Productivity

Geometric art with parallel lines, circles, and waves in yellow, green, orange, and blue.

Design system 102: How to build a design system

April 8, 2024

By Chad Bergman

It’s time to build your design system! We’ll walk you through the basics of creating a system tailored to your unique goals and challenges, whether building from scratch or starting with existing pieces.

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Design systems
Career & education
Design
UI/UX
Productivity

Design system 103: Design system documentation that drives adoption

January 23, 2025

By Carly Ayres

Clear documentation transforms abstract design principles into practical tools. Here’s how leading teams build and maintain living documentation that evolves alongside their design systems.

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Design systems
Writing
Design
Engineering
UI/UX
Figma Design

An abstract digital illustration featuring interconnected geometric shapes in a vibrant color palette. The composition consists of tall, three-dimensional blue structures resembling columns or beams, arranged in a staggered pattern. These structures have angular extensions that are connected by thin orange rods, creating a web-like effect. Two large yellow circular and rectangular shapes are present in the background, possibly resembling the sun and a doorway, set against a green textured backdrop. The artwork has a mechanical and architectural feel, with a surreal, almost kinetic energy.

Design system 104: Making metrics matter

February 11, 2025

By Carly Ayres

Behind every successful design system lies a surprising secret: numbers. Learn how tracking the right metrics can transform your design system from a helpful resource into a powerful engine for efficiency.

Insights
Design systems
Career & education
Design
UI/UX
Productivity

Design systems 101: The complete guide

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Design systems principles in practice

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How to streamline your design system workflow in Figma

April 8, 2025

By Luis Ouriach

If you’ve ever stared down a blank Figma file while building a new design system, never fear: These new features and plugins will turn that mountain of work into an afternoon task.

Working Well
Product updates
Figma Design
Design systems
Plugins & tooling
Tips & inspiration

Screens showing Polaroid Flip Instant Camera branded social assets with handwritten font and photos

How Polaroid is building its next era of innovation

May 5, 2025

By Nika Simovich Fisher

Once on the brink of extinction, the company behind the beloved instant camera is reaching a new generation of users with a new approach to design, development, and branding.

Maker Stories
Design systems
Prototyping
Design
UI/UX
Branding
Case study
Config

How eBay built a bridge between brand and product with Figma

March 13, 2025

By Carly Ayres

When eBay set out to document their design system, they didn’t just want a reference guide—they wanted to create an experience where teams could find inspiration and excitement in their work.

Maker Stories
Design systems
Writing
Design
Engineering
UI/UX
Figma Design

An illustration of a news office with people walking and meeting in glass-walled conference rooms

In good company: How publishers use Figma to help design the news

February 19, 2025

By Diana Budds

At trusted titles like The New York Times, The Economist, and The Minnesota Star Tribune, great design can support great journalism. Here’s how media teams use Figma to collaborate on news design and explore new formats.

Maker Stories
Design
UI/UX
Design systems
Brainstorming
Collaboration
Prototyping
Typography

The future of design systems

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abstract arrangement of dots, toggles, type, and layers

The future of design systems is automated

March 2, 2023

By Carly Ayres

Plugins, widgets, and tooling—the second edition of our series on the future of design systems. Previously, we talked about navigating complexity. Here, we chat with folks across the industry on how plugins, widgets, and tooling are changing the landscape, and what they hope for the future.

Insights
Design systems
Design
Thought leadership
AI

The future of design systems is complicated

January 31, 2023

By Carly Ayres

We talked to several industry experts about how they’re managing the future of design systems—from tooling to automation to accessibility.

Insights
Design systems
Design
Events
Thought leadership

The future of design systems is semantic

July 27, 2023

By Carly Ayres

Variables, one of Figma’s newest features, help you streamline designs and connect more closely to code, but what do they tell us about larger shifts in the industry? We dig into what they might signal for the future of design systems.

Insights
Design systems
Thought leadership
Product updates
Plugins & tooling
Design

The future of design systems is accessible

May 9, 2023

By Carly Ayres

In the third part of our series, we talk to design system and accessibility experts about making inclusive systems a top priority. Previously, we covered complexity and automation.

Insights
Design systems
Design
Plugins & tooling
Accessibility
AI

The future of design systems is marketing

April 10, 2024

By Ana Boyer

Design systems promise consistency, efficiency, and scalability, but realizing these benefits hinges on widespread usage. To get your entire team on board, you’ll need to tap into your inner marketer and craft a compelling adoption strategy.

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Design systems
Design
Thought leadership
AI

More on Design Systems

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The new business case for design systems
January 13, 2026
By Figma
Design systems have evolved from static libraries to key drivers of business revenue, customer loyalty, and product strategy. Here’s what you need to know about how to track and communicate the value of your design system, based on new research from the Design Executive Council (DXC).
Insights
Design systems
Thought leadership
Report
Case study
5 shifts redefining design systems in the AI era
November 19, 2025
By Emma Webster
As AI reshapes how we make products, design systems are evolving from libraries of reusable parts into living frameworks that scale taste and craft. We spoke with product leaders and practitioners about the shifts they’re seeing in how design systems are built, used, and maintained.
Insights
Design systems
AI
Schema 2025: Design systems for a new era
October 28, 2025
By Paige Costello
Design systems help teams push what’s possible while maintaining a high level of craft, polish, and performance. Here’s everything we announced at Schema by Figma to help teams design for the AI era.
Inside Figma
Design systems
Product updates
Events
News
Design systems: From the basics to big things ahead
October 21, 2025
By Madeline Stafford
To prepare for Schema 2025, we combed through Shortcut archives to pull together our design systems greatest hits.
Working Well
Design systems
Design
AI
Collaboration
Why you should care about design context
September 24, 2025
By Thomas Lowry
As developers increasingly use agentic coding tools, the structure and clarity of design files matters more than ever. By thoughtfully organizing your work, you can help your developer counterparts build more efficiently and accurately.
Insights
Design
Design systems
AI
The branding for Intercom’s AI summit looks like an alien superbloom
September 19, 2025
By Jenny Xie
For the customer service and AI event Pioneer, Intercom’s designers used Figma to create a visual language of surreal flowers and shape-shifting pollen.
Maker Stories
Branding
Marketing
Case study
Design systems
Motion
Collaboration
Design
Design systems and AI: Why MCP servers are the unlock
August 6, 2025
By Ana Boyer
Paired with MCP servers, design systems become a productivity coefficient for AI-powered workflows, ensuring that AI agents produce output that’s relevant and on brand.
Working Well
Design systems
AI
Productivity
A tale of two parameter architectures—and how we unified them
July 29, 2025
By Jenning Chen
After launching variables and component properties in quick succession, we were left with two different underlying architectures for parametrization. Here’s how we unified them for consistency and scalability.
Inside Figma
Engineering
Design systems
In good company: How retailers use Figma to elevate e-commerce
July 11, 2025
By Diana Budds
Brands like Nuuly, Ruggable, and GitHub are designing multidimensional experiences that build customer trust, serve employee needs, and uphold core values.
Maker Stories
Design
Design systems
UI/UX
Branding
In good company: How agencies are transforming client collaboration
June 24, 2025
By Diana Budds
To take creativity to new heights, agencies and freelancers are breaking down traditional boundaries and using tools like Figma to partner with their clients every step of the way.
Maker Stories
Design
Branding
Collaboration
Design systems
UI/UX
How Polaroid is building its next era of innovation
May 5, 2025
By Nika Simovich Fisher
Once on the brink of extinction, the company behind the beloved instant camera is reaching a new generation of users with a new approach to design, development, and branding.
Maker Stories
Design systems
Prototyping
Design
UI/UX
Branding
Case study
Config
How to streamline your design system workflow in Figma
April 8, 2025
By Luis Ouriach
If you’ve ever stared down a blank Figma file while building a new design system, never fear: These new features and plugins will turn that mountain of work into an afternoon task.
Working Well
Product updates
Figma Design
Design systems
Plugins & tooling
Tips & inspiration