Design System Champions

Design system champions are individuals outside the core design system team who actively promote adoption and support their colleagues in using the design system. Champions extend the design system team’s reach by providing local expertise and advocacy within their own teams and projects.

What Are Design System Champions

Champions serve as bridges between the design system team and consuming teams. They understand both the design system’s capabilities and their team’s specific needs, enabling them to translate between contexts. Champions answer questions, help troubleshoot issues, and advocate for design system adoption within their spheres of influence.

The champion role differs from formal design system team membership. Champions maintain their primary responsibilities on product teams while contributing to design system success as a secondary activity. This embedded position gives champions credibility with peers and insight into real-world usage challenges that the core team might not observe directly.

How to Build a Champions Program

Identifying potential champions begins with recognizing individuals who already demonstrate enthusiasm for the design system. Early adopters, frequent documentation contributors, and active participants in design system discussions often make natural champions. Technical competence matters, but attitude and influence within their teams may matter more.

Formalizing the program provides structure that supports champion success. This includes defining expectations, providing training and resources, creating communication channels, and recognizing contributions. Clear expectations help champions understand their role while avoiding overcommitment that could harm their primary responsibilities.

Supporting champions requires ongoing investment. Regular meetings share information and gather feedback. Training sessions build champion skills. Recognition programs acknowledge contributions. Access to design system team members enables champions to escalate complex issues effectively.

Key Considerations

• Champions need support and resources; the role should not become burdensome
• Diverse representation across teams and disciplines extends reach effectively
• Regular communication keeps champions informed and engaged
• Recognition motivates continued participation and signals organizational value
• Turnover is natural; programs should plan for onboarding new champions

Common Questions

How many champions does an organization need?

The appropriate number depends on organizational size and structure. A common guideline suggests one champion per large team or cluster of smaller teams. Coverage across different products, technologies, and geographies ensures broad representation. Having too few champions overburdens individuals; having too many dilutes focus and complicates coordination. Starting small and expanding based on demonstrated value allows organic growth.

How should champions balance their role with primary responsibilities?

Champion activities should be sustainable alongside primary work. Setting clear expectations about time commitment helps prevent overload. Managers should support champion activities by accounting for them in workload planning. The champion role should enhance rather than detract from career progression. When champion work consistently conflicts with primary responsibilities, the program structure may need adjustment.

Summary

Design system champions extend the core team’s reach by providing local expertise and advocacy. Building an effective champions program involves identifying natural advocates, providing structure and support, and maintaining ongoing engagement. Well-supported champions accelerate adoption and improve design system feedback while strengthening connections across the organization.