The quiet work of a design system teams actually use

Most design systems fail in the handoff. The file is beautiful. The product, six weeks later, is a cousin of that file.

We treat the system as a working agreement. Naming, spacing, and the few components people reach for first are documented with the cases where they should not be used.

Reviews matter more than the library size. A short critique on real screens catches drift earlier than another component ever will.

When a new squad joins, they should be able to ship a screen that already belongs. That is the only test that counts.