Design system governance

Design system governance is the decision and ownership model through which shared assets are proposed, evaluated, released, migrated and retired.

  • Design system governance
  • Governance model

What design system governance means

Design system governance defines the decision and ownership model for shared assets. It covers how those assets are proposed, evaluated, released, migrated and retired.

What governance decides

When two products need a new status pattern, governance determines the evidence of reuse, accessibility effect, owner, release path and migration obligation.

It should make legitimate contribution possible without forcing every product-specific need into a shared pattern.

Governance models

Governance can be central, federated or hybrid. The useful model is the one that fits the organisation's product boundaries and decision rights.

Design-system adoption shows whether that model works in product delivery.

Explore Governance and Adoption

Establish the operating model through Design-System Strategy.