Jan 9, 2025
Stop Designing Inside Your Library File
Designing inside your design system file may seem efficient at first, but it leads to performance issues, limited flexibility, and collaboration challenges later on. Separating your library and your designs is key to a scalable system.
Design Systems
Figma
The Setup
My first experience building a full design system taught me a hard lesson when I designed directly within the library file.
It seemed efficient.. until it wasn’t
Since I am the only one working on the project, why not design directly within the library file?
It felt logical at the time. As a solo designer, I thought keeping everything in one place would save time. Designing screens and components within the same file seemed efficient. No need to manage multiple files or publish updates.
But as the project grew, the setup began to break down. Small changes affected everything, performance slowed, and managing consistency became a nightmare.
What Went Wrong
At first, everything ran smoothly. But as complexity increased, problems started surfacing.
Instant updates everywhere: When every design and component lives in the same file, even a minor change to a master component updates every instance instantly, often breaking designs without notice.
Unpublishable components: Some components are foundational and not meant for direct use, but when everything lives together, they end up scattered across your screens.
Performance degradation: As the file grows, responsiveness drops. Small tweaks cause long delays, turning your file into a slow, unstable environment.
Scalability issues: Once your team expands or projects multiply, managing and maintaining the file becomes a heavy, error-prone task.
The Takeaway
Separate your library file from your design files to protect your workflow, performance, and collaboration.
“slow down to speed up.”
Design systems are not just about components, they are about how teams work.
By separating your system and design files, you gain:
Better control over updates
Predictable workflows
Improved performance
Easier scaling and collaboration
Even if you’re working solo, this structure pays off later. Separate your files early.. your future self and your team will thank you.
More Works
FAQ
01
What kind of projects have you worked on?
02
How do you usually collaborate on projects?
03
Do you take freelance or consulting projects?
04
What tools do you use?
05
How do you approach new projects?
06
Can you help set up a design system?
07
How can I get in touch?
Jan 9, 2025
Stop Designing Inside Your Library File
Designing inside your design system file may seem efficient at first, but it leads to performance issues, limited flexibility, and collaboration challenges later on. Separating your library and your designs is key to a scalable system.
Design Systems
Figma
The Setup
My first experience building a full design system taught me a hard lesson when I designed directly within the library file.
It seemed efficient.. until it wasn’t
Since I am the only one working on the project, why not design directly within the library file?
It felt logical at the time. As a solo designer, I thought keeping everything in one place would save time. Designing screens and components within the same file seemed efficient. No need to manage multiple files or publish updates.
But as the project grew, the setup began to break down. Small changes affected everything, performance slowed, and managing consistency became a nightmare.
What Went Wrong
At first, everything ran smoothly. But as complexity increased, problems started surfacing.
Instant updates everywhere: When every design and component lives in the same file, even a minor change to a master component updates every instance instantly, often breaking designs without notice.
Unpublishable components: Some components are foundational and not meant for direct use, but when everything lives together, they end up scattered across your screens.
Performance degradation: As the file grows, responsiveness drops. Small tweaks cause long delays, turning your file into a slow, unstable environment.
Scalability issues: Once your team expands or projects multiply, managing and maintaining the file becomes a heavy, error-prone task.
The Takeaway
Separate your library file from your design files to protect your workflow, performance, and collaboration.
“slow down to speed up.”
Design systems are not just about components, they are about how teams work.
By separating your system and design files, you gain:
Better control over updates
Predictable workflows
Improved performance
Easier scaling and collaboration
Even if you’re working solo, this structure pays off later. Separate your files early.. your future self and your team will thank you.
More Works
FAQ
01
What kind of projects have you worked on?
02
How do you usually collaborate on projects?
03
Do you take freelance or consulting projects?
04
What tools do you use?
05
How do you approach new projects?
06
Can you help set up a design system?
07
How can I get in touch?
Jan 9, 2025
Stop Designing Inside Your Library File
Designing inside your design system file may seem efficient at first, but it leads to performance issues, limited flexibility, and collaboration challenges later on. Separating your library and your designs is key to a scalable system.
Design Systems
Figma
The Setup
My first experience building a full design system taught me a hard lesson when I designed directly within the library file.
It seemed efficient.. until it wasn’t
Since I am the only one working on the project, why not design directly within the library file?
It felt logical at the time. As a solo designer, I thought keeping everything in one place would save time. Designing screens and components within the same file seemed efficient. No need to manage multiple files or publish updates.
But as the project grew, the setup began to break down. Small changes affected everything, performance slowed, and managing consistency became a nightmare.
What Went Wrong
At first, everything ran smoothly. But as complexity increased, problems started surfacing.
Instant updates everywhere: When every design and component lives in the same file, even a minor change to a master component updates every instance instantly, often breaking designs without notice.
Unpublishable components: Some components are foundational and not meant for direct use, but when everything lives together, they end up scattered across your screens.
Performance degradation: As the file grows, responsiveness drops. Small tweaks cause long delays, turning your file into a slow, unstable environment.
Scalability issues: Once your team expands or projects multiply, managing and maintaining the file becomes a heavy, error-prone task.
The Takeaway
Separate your library file from your design files to protect your workflow, performance, and collaboration.
“slow down to speed up.”
Design systems are not just about components, they are about how teams work.
By separating your system and design files, you gain:
Better control over updates
Predictable workflows
Improved performance
Easier scaling and collaboration
Even if you’re working solo, this structure pays off later. Separate your files early.. your future self and your team will thank you.
More Works
FAQ
What kind of projects have you worked on?
How do you usually collaborate on projects?
Do you take freelance or consulting projects?
What tools do you use?
How do you approach new projects?
Can you help set up a design system?
How can I get in touch?