Design systems as the basis for consistent, accessible digital services

A design system is a collection of visual components such as buttons, colors, typography and guidelines that provide the foundation for the design and development of digital services. By using uniform building blocks, teams can develop digital products quickly and efficiently without compromising quality or accessibility. Design systems ensure consistency, simplify maintenance and improve recognition.

A key theme during the week was accessibility, where choice is essential. Design systems make it easy to offer inclusive options, such as contact via e-mail or phone, which lowers barriers for people with specific needs, such as the deaf or hard of hearing. Accessible components enable organizations to design inclusive experiences from the ground up.

Two approaches are often used in design systems: the Lego model and the Playmobil model. The Lego model offers modular components that are adaptable, ideal for customization. The Playmobil model, on the other hand, offers off-the-shelf components that can be easily combined for quick and consistent designs. This flexibility allows organizations to choose a system that fits their scale and goals, while maintaining a unified user experience.

Sustainability in design systems was presented as a core topic during the week. Limiting colors, fonts and code to the essentials can improve load times and reduce the energy impact of digital products. This "less is more" approach not only supports speed and efficiency, but also fits with the social responsibility companies want to take for their digital footprint.

Many design systems offer accessible components and built-in checklists that allow teams to independently perform basic accessibility checks, such as keyboard navigation and screen reader support. This raises awareness about accessibility and lowers the barrier to creating inclusive designs, which in turn can increase development speed. By implementing accessibility as a standard at the component level, you lay a strong foundation. However, it remains crucial to regularly test the entire product to ensure an inclusive experience for all users. External audits remain necessary in this regard to confirm that accessibility is ensured at all levels, both component and page level.

The week also discussed how to make hard-to-access documents, such as PDFs, more accessible by converting them to structured Web pages. This improves accessibility for visually impaired users and makes complex information easier to search and read for a wide audience.

Design systems make it possible to develop digital services faster, more efficiently and while maintaining quality. The insights from NL Design System Week reaffirm that design systems play an important role in the future of accessible and sustainable digital products. By providing accessible and reusable building blocks, they help organizations create digital experiences that are more accessible to all.