Design systems have an image problem
Most design systems fail because they try to be comprehensive before being useful. For a 5–20 person team, that’s a tax you can’t afford.
Start with tokens, not components
Colors, type, spacing and radii come first. A disciplined set of tokens will take a team further than any component library.
Commit to one framework
Don’t try to be tool-agnostic from day one. Pick Tailwind, pick a framework, pick your stack — and design against that.
Build components in pairs: design + engineering
If a component isn’t usable in code, it isn’t a component. Ship each one across both sides of the fence together.
Documentation is a product
If your docs aren’t delightful, nobody will use the system. Treat it like a mini product with its own roadmap.