Hey all!
Thanks so much for those who were able to join us and participate last week for our AI & Design Systems Jam Session! We had a ton of fun!
In case you missed it, we’ll be having these sessions every other Thursday at 10AM ET. The next AI and Design Systems Jam Session will be March 12 at 10AM ET.
We uploaded the video recording from the first AI & Design Systems Jam Session last Thursday. You can check it out here:
TJ, Ian, and I demoed a bunch of AI-powered design system workflows and talked about the impact it has on the way we create digital work.
What we covered:
◉ We recapped the course direction. We walked through the evolving structure, from design systems fundamentals to using AI to improve systems, to using AI + design systems together, and then a look ahead at generative UI.
◉ We focused on “check engine light” issues. We talked about the kinds of problems that quietly break systems over time, like token workflow messes, accessibility defects, parity issues, and drift.
◉ We kept coming back to communication. We emphasized that a lot of design system friction is really collaboration friction, and that the best tools facilitate communication rather than replacing it.
Demos and Show-And-Tell
◉ Figma Lint plugin. TJ demoed a component audit tool that scored components and flagged issues like missing descriptions, missing interactive states, token misuse, naming issues, and hard-coded values (with the ability to help map values back to tokens).
◉ Component descriptions as “context fuel.” We stressed that descriptions should capture intent and behavior, not just visuals. The accordion example came up as a case where behavior details matter, and that context cascades through AI workflows.
◉ Story UI. TJ demoed a layout-generation workflow that used a real design system component library, including recreating layouts from screenshots and generating new mockups quickly for exploration.
◉ Code parity tools. We showed how drift between design and code could be detected and reconciled, including options to notify teams and create developer follow-ups, while keeping humans in the loop.
◉ Batch changes (variable modes). TJ generated a new “brutalist” variable mode fast as a concrete example of what “AI + systems + batch operations” can unlock.
Eager to get your thoughts! What do you think of all of this? What would you like to see more of?
Have a great weekend!
Much love,
