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Design system test

How good is your design system, really?

The first test for assessing the maturity of design systems shows you where you stand and what will help you grow in a targeted way and strategically develop your system further.

Test it in 10 minutes

From real-world experience, for real-world use

Many of our enterprise clients ask themselves:

How does our design system stack up, especially when compared to industry benchmarks? Where is there room for improvement? How can we prioritize the next steps?

Inspired by Norman Nielsen’s UX Maturity Model, we developed a dedicated measurement system for evaluating the quality of design systems. Since it has proven effective in our projects, we’re now making it available for general use.

Design system maturity model diagram: seven ascending stages, Absent, Limited, Documented, Growing, Processual, Optimized and Innovativenachgezeichnet aus dem alten BildKreise aus dem alten Bild gemessen, Ziffern nachgezeichnet

Take the test now.

Our calculator guides you simply and efficiently through the areas of design, development, and adoption & integration.

You’ll receive your personalized report with all the key insights:

  • Where does your design system fit into the traditional development process?
  • What characteristics and challenges define your current level of maturity?
  • What steps will help you make the most progress?

Turn a bunch of question marks into a clear goal.

Test it in 10 minutes

Good reasons to take the test

  1. Clarity

    The maturity assessment results show how design, development, and integration can come together to form a mature, scalable system.

  2. Focus

    You’ll see which levers have the greatest impact and where it’s worth investing.

  3. Progress

    You’ll make progress measurable, build trust within the company, and strengthen your system’s impact over the long term.

Here’s what others have to say.

Here’s what others have to say.

“Every team had a different idea of what ‘mature’ meant. The model helped to make this discussion more objective and clarify priorities.” (UX Lead, Insurance Group)

“The test surprised us. We’re further along than we thought, and that was a real motivational boost for the team.” (Head of Product Design, SaaS provider)

“The model has helped us ensure that our design system is finally given the right priority internally. Even the stakeholders now understand why it’s important and where we’re headed with it.” (UX Designer, mobility platform)

A clear starting point is the first step. What’s next?

UX consultant in a “Not the User” shirt explaining the component documentation of the Sartorius design system on a large screen while a colleague follows along on a laptop

We’d love to discuss with you how your design system can grow. We’ll help you assess the current state of affairs and support you in establishing and further developing architecture, processes, and governance structures. We’ll also guide you through the implementation and active use of the system to ensure it has a lasting impact.

Here’s how we can help

How we’ve helped organizations make their design systems effective.

  1. Man in a “Not the User.” T-shirt explains the components of the Sartorius design system in front of a screen, with the Sartorius logo below on yellow

    A scalable design system with a community-driven approach

    To achieve a more consistent UX, Sartorius wanted to build a design system, which went on to become the go-to tool for communication and collaboration.

    Read the Success Story
  2. Two women sitting at a wooden table with a laptop and coffee cups, listening attentively, a “Not the User.” sign in front

    Fine-tuning an established design system

    For a design system that was already in heavy use, we helped a large organization document missing patterns, optimize processes, and strengthen the organization’s ability to work with the system.

  3. Tablet showing the METRO customer account: permissions for employee Barbara Winkler under “Staff & Permissions”, with the yellow METRO logo on a blue background below

    Digital readiness for a wholesale giant

    As part of a comprehensive digital transformation initiative, we helped METRO build a UX guild and establish its first design systems.

    Read the Success Story

Knowledge and insights about design systems

Design system headline

Whether it’s optimization, implementation, or the transition from a component library to a full-fledged enterprise design system: Together, we’ll figure out which solution will help you move forward.

Nadine Pieper, senior UX consultant at UX&I, smiling with glasses and arms crossed in the office

Nadine Pieper Senior UX consultant · Berlin

Prefer to talk right away?

30 minutes by video call, free and with no obligation. All times are Berlin time.

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Nadine Pieper

Your call with

Nadine Pieper

Senior UX consultant

Berlin