Health Check

A health check provides a quick assessment of design system status across key dimensions. Regular health checks enable teams to identify emerging issues before they become serious problems and maintain awareness of overall system condition.

What Is a Health Check

A health check is a periodic evaluation of design system health across defined dimensions. Unlike comprehensive assessments that examine everything in detail, health checks provide rapid status indicators that flag areas needing attention. Think of health checks as vital signs monitoring rather than full diagnostic examination.

Health checks serve ongoing monitoring purposes. They reveal trends that might be missed in day-to-day work. They create accountability for maintaining system health. They provide regular touchpoints for reflection on system state.

How Health Checks Work

Dimension selection identifies what the health check covers. Common dimensions include component quality, documentation currency, adoption trends, support ticket volume, and consumer satisfaction. Dimensions should cover aspects that indicate overall system health.

Indicator definition specifies how each dimension gets assessed. Indicators might be quantitative (support ticket count) or qualitative (team assessment of documentation quality). Clear indicators enable consistent assessment across periods.

Assessment process evaluates current state against indicators. Assessment may involve metric review, quick audits, or team discussion. The process should be efficient enough for regular repetition.

Scoring or status assignment translates assessment into communicable results. Traffic light systems (green/yellow/red) or numerical scores provide quick understanding. Clear criteria for each status level ensure consistent interpretation.

Action triggering connects health check results to response. Yellow indicators warrant investigation. Red indicators demand immediate attention. Health checks without follow-through become bureaucratic exercises.

Key Considerations

• Health checks should be quick enough for regular repetition
• Indicators should genuinely reflect system health
• Results should drive action, not just documentation
• Health check discipline requires commitment to regular execution
• Trends matter as much as point-in-time status

Common Questions

How often should health checks occur?

Health check frequency balances monitoring value with overhead. Monthly health checks work well for many design systems. More frequent checks may be appropriate during periods of rapid change. Less frequent checks may suffice for stable systems. The key is maintaining consistent cadence.

What is the difference between health checks and assessments?

Health checks are lighter-weight and more frequent than full assessments. Health checks monitor vital signs; assessments provide comprehensive evaluation. Health checks take hours; assessments take days or weeks. Both have value for different purposes.

How do health checks avoid becoming box-checking exercises?

Meaningful health checks require genuine engagement with results. Teams should discuss findings, not just record them. Actions should follow from concerning indicators. Leadership attention to health check results signals their importance. Health checks that never lead to change lose their value.

Summary

Health checks provide regular monitoring of design system status across key dimensions. Success requires appropriate indicators, consistent execution, and commitment to acting on results. Organizations should implement health checks as part of ongoing system management practice.