Contribution Guidelines

Contribution guidelines document how to contribute to a design system, covering everything from small bug fixes to new component proposals. Clear guidelines enable participation by reducing uncertainty about processes and expectations.

What Are Contribution Guidelines

Contribution guidelines are documentation explaining the contribution process: what can be contributed, how contributions are submitted, what review processes apply, and what standards contributions must meet. Guidelines reduce barriers by answering questions potential contributors have.

Good guidelines balance accessibility with quality. Too restrictive guidelines discourage contribution; too permissive guidelines burden maintainers with low-quality submissions. Finding the right balance enables meaningful participation while maintaining system integrity.

How to Create Effective Guidelines

Process documentation explains how to contribute. Step-by-step instructions for different contribution types (bug fixes, documentation improvements, new components) guide contributors through workflows. Examples help illustrate expectations.

Standards documentation defines quality requirements. Code style expectations, testing requirements, documentation standards, and accessibility requirements establish what contributions must meet. Clear standards enable self-assessment before submission.

Scope documentation clarifies what contributions are welcome. Some design systems welcome any improvement; others have narrower scope. Explaining what is in and out of scope prevents wasted effort on unwelcome contributions.

Review process documentation sets expectations about what happens after submission. Who reviews, how long reviews take, what feedback looks like, and how decisions are communicated helps contributors understand the process.

Key Considerations

• Guidelines should be easily discoverable; prominent placement and linking help
• Guidelines should be kept current as processes evolve
• Examples help clarify expectations that guidelines alone may not convey
• Guidelines should address common questions preemptively
• Feedback from contributors improves guidelines over time

Common Questions

How detailed should contribution guidelines be?

Detail level should match contribution complexity and contributor experience. Simple contributions like typo fixes need minimal guidance. Complex contributions like new components benefit from detailed requirements. Providing overview for quick orientation plus detailed sections for specific contribution types serves different needs.

How can teams encourage contributions while maintaining quality?

Encouragement comes from welcoming tone, responsive support, and celebration of contributions. Quality comes from clear standards, thorough review, and constructive feedback. The combination enables contributions that meet standards. Mentorship for promising but not-yet-ready contributions helps contributors improve rather than simply rejecting.

Summary

Contribution guidelines document how to participate in design system development, covering processes, standards, scope, and review expectations. Effective guidelines balance accessibility with quality, enabling meaningful participation while maintaining system integrity. Clear, current, and comprehensive guidelines reduce barriers to contribution.