Beeck Center updates design system tracker for states
The Digital Government Hub, an open-source reference library for governments using design, data or technology, maintained by the Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation at Georgetown University, this week released an update to its State-Level Design System Tracker that maps how U.S. states are building and managing shared digital design systems.
Design systems are collections of standardized styles, components and guidelines that help teams build consistent and accessible digital services.
The tracker lists which states already have active or in-progress design systems, whether they are open source, whether they include design file kits and how their data governance is structured. The tool also includes contacts so technologists can learn from their peers.
“Design systems are a foundational element of good government digital service delivery,” the tracker states. “By providing a shared language, reusable components, and clear standards, design systems enable agencies to build web-based services more consistently and effectively.”
According to a recent report by the U.S. Web Design System, when governments have a shared web design across agencies, users have more-uniform experiences across departments and teams don’t have to reinvent new elements with each new website.
The Beeck Center recommends that states starting to build their design system use this tracker as a reference to understand different approaches, pitfalls and opportunities for shared digital infrastructure.
