Improving the Ericsson Design System : A comparison of best practices in industry software and web development design systems

Abstract: As part of a push for renewal by radio and communications-based company Ericsson, the company launched a new brand identity called Brand 2.0 and began to construct the Ericsson Design System (EDS), a toolbox of digital design and development resources. The purpose of the EDS is to streamline and speed up the design and development process, help maintain consistency in design across products and improve communication between teams. This study aims to find potential areas for improvement of the EDS. To accomplish this, we compare the Ericsson Design System to the best practices of what makes an effective design system, as well as compare it to other companies’ publicly available design systems. To make this comparison, we performed an expert evaluation of the EDS and conducted interviews with Ericsson employees with experience with the design system to understand its strengths and weaknesses. The study found that the EDS is well suited for developers using the supported platform, but lacks some big-picture support for designers. System adoption would benefit from a push for political support within Ericsson.