Design systems—libraries of reusable components, patterns, and guidelines—enable consistent, accessible, and efficient digital service delivery. For government, where diverse agencies build citizen-facing services, design systems ensure brand consistency, accessibility compliance, and development efficiency.
This guide provides a framework for building and maintaining government design systems.
Understanding Design Systems
What Design Systems Include
Components of a design system:
Component library: Reusable UI components.
Design tokens: Colors, typography, spacing.
Pattern library: Common interaction patterns.
Guidelines: Usage and implementation rules.
Documentation: Complete usage guidance.
Assets: Icons, illustrations, templates.
Design System Value
Why organizations invest:
Consistency: Unified experience across services.
Efficiency: Faster development through reuse.
Quality: Tested, validated components.
Accessibility: Built-in compliance.
Maintainability: Centralized updates.
Government Design System Context
Government Requirements
Public sector considerations:
Accessibility mandates: Section 508, WCAG compliance.
Diverse audiences: All citizens must be served.
Brand consistency: Unified government identity.
Multiple agencies: Cross-organization adoption.
Resource constraints: Efficiency imperative.
Notable Examples
Established government design systems:
US Web Design System (USWDS): Federal government standard.
GOV.UK Design System: UK government model.
State systems: California, Massachusetts, others.
Local systems: Major cities and counties.
Design System Components
Foundation Elements
Core building blocks:
Color system: Brand colors, semantic colors.
Typography: Font families, scales, usage.
Spacing: Consistent spacing system.
Grid system: Layout framework.
Iconography: Icon library and usage.
UI Components
Interactive elements:
Buttons: Action elements.
Form elements: Inputs, selects, validation.
Navigation: Menus, breadcrumbs.
Cards and containers: Content grouping.
Tables and data display: Information presentation.
Patterns
Common interaction patterns:
Forms and validation: Data collection.
Search: Finding information.
Error handling: Error states and messaging.
Loading states: Progress indication.
Mobile patterns: Responsive behaviors.
Accessibility Integration
Accessibility by Design
Building accessible components:
WCAG compliance: Meeting accessibility standards.
Keyboard navigation: Full keyboard support.
Screen reader support: Proper ARIA and semantics.
Color contrast: Sufficient contrast ratios.
Focus management: Clear focus indication.
Testing and Validation
Ensuring accessibility:
Automated testing: Accessibility scanners.
Manual testing: Human evaluation.
Assistive technology testing: Screen readers, etc.
User testing: Testing with disabled users.
Continuous validation: Ongoing checks.
Building Design Systems
Starting a Design System
Getting started:
Audit existing: Current components and patterns.
Prioritize components: What's needed most.
Define foundations: Tokens and base elements.
Build incrementally: Start small, grow.
Document thoroughly: Clear guidance.
Team and Skills
Who builds design systems:
Design: UI/UX design capability.
Development: Frontend engineering.
Accessibility: Accessibility expertise.
Documentation: Technical writing.
Product: Product management.
Governance and Maintenance
Governance Model
Managing the design system:
Ownership: Who is accountable.
Contribution model: How additions happen.
Review process: Quality assurance.
Version management: Releases and updates.
Communication: Keeping adopters informed.
Adoption Strategy
Driving usage:
Socialization: Building awareness.
Training: Teaching usage.
Support: Helping adopters.
Mandates: Requirements where appropriate.
Celebration: Recognizing adoption.
Ongoing Maintenance
Keeping systems current:
Regular updates: Continuous improvement.
Deprecation: Retiring old components.
Performance monitoring: Tracking usage.
Feedback integration: Responding to users.
Accessibility updates: Standards evolution.
Implementation Considerations
Technology Choices
Technical decisions:
Framework approach: Framework-agnostic vs. specific.
Web components: Cross-framework compatibility.
CSS methodology: Styling approach.
Package management: Distribution method.
Documentation tools: Storybook, etc.
Integration
Connecting to development:
NPM packages: Component distribution.
CDN hosting: Static asset delivery.
Design tools: Figma, Sketch integration.
Developer experience: Easy adoption.
Key Takeaways
-
Start with foundations: Tokens and principles first.
-
Accessibility is core: Built in, not added on.
-
Adoption requires effort: Technical components aren't enough.
-
Governance enables sustainability: Ongoing investment required.
-
Start small, grow intentionally: Don't overbuild early.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should we build or adopt an existing system? Often adopt (USWDS) and customize. Building from scratch rarely justified.
How do we drive adoption? Training, support, integration, mandates where appropriate.
What about legacy applications? Incremental adoption. New development first; retrofit strategically.
How do we handle multi-agency adoption? Clear governance, contribution model, strong communication.
What skills do we need? Design, frontend development, accessibility expertise, documentation.
How do we measure success? Adoption metrics, consistency audits, development velocity, accessibility compliance.