This ebook was created by Netguru experts together with contributors from top companies like VISA, Wolt and Delivery Hero. It’s built on real-world experience and proven techniques tested in complex organizations.
Who it’s for?
If you’ve built a design system — or tried and struggled — you know how quickly things can go wrong.
Created by Netguru experts with insights from leading design practitioners, this ebook is for:
Heads of Design, Design Ops Managers, Product Owners
Engineering and Delivery Managers ensuring design-to-code alignment
Decision-makers at scale running multi-platform products
Design systems promise speed and consistency, but without adoption and governance they quickly become a burden. This ebook gives you a practical tips to:
Make your design system a daily practice (not a shelf artifact)
Build team fluency across design, product, and engineering
Scale thoughtfully as your product portfolio grows
Collaborate with partners without sacrificing quality
What’s inside the ebook?
This ebook shows how to turn a design system into a shared way of working.
Common pitfalls
Why design systems often stall—overengineering, low adoption, and lack of ownership—and how to overcome these challenges.
Governance & ownership
Practical strategies to define roles, responsibilities, and contribution models that keep your system alive and healthy.
Scaling techniques
From tokens to templates—how to evolve your system for complex product portfolios, accessibility, and multiple platforms.
Design systems & automation
Why structure, documentation, and naming conventions are critical for AI-assisted workflows and design-to-code ambitions.
Collaborating with external partners
How to work with agencies and contractors without compromising consistency or control.
Product management & development
Prioritize features, refine product roadmaps, and optimize market positioning.
Featured experts
Hear from practitioners who know firsthand the challenges of design systems—and how to make them work.
Daniel Liss
Design Manager - Foundations, Delivery Hero
Kieran Weston
Head of Design, Visa
Adam Matusiak
Senior Product Manager, Allegro
Francesco Cutolo
Design System Lead, Wolt
Jens Timmich
Head of Design, Solaris Bus & Coach S.A.
Padam Singh
Head of Design, Clip
Pauline Bertry
Engagement Manager, McKinsey & Company
Mikael Leppä
Head of Design, Equinor
Paula Sánchez Vázquez
Creative Manager, The Boston Consulting Group
Camilo Saenz
Design Director, Publicis Groupe
Iga Stępień
Product Owner, Santander Consumer Bank S.A.
Karl D'Souza
Head of Experience Design, Boubyan Bank
Terry Behan
Head of Design, Nedbank
Joe Cahil
Creative Director, Unqork
Remco Bakker
Head of Design, KidsKonnect
For us, success came from framing the Visa Product Design System not as rigid rules, but as a flexible framework—guardrails that ensure accessibility while letting partners create their own experiences.
Adoption isn’t about component coverage—it’s about systemic thinking. Do designers see their work as connected, or are they repeatedly solving the same problems?
One of the biggest challenges in scaling our design system, Bento, was accommodating the diverse needs. It quickly became clear the Design System team couldn’t manage everything—so we invested in a structured contribution program.
Efficiency gains case study
If you’re curious about the tangible impact of design systems, we also share the efficiency gains from our own Silk Design System.
