Design system maturity

A 6-Dimension framework

Link: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/design-system-maturity/

Nielsen Norman Group argues against linear design-system maturity models, since they don't capture reality: systems can regress due to reorgs, budget cuts, or mergers, and maturity depends on each organization's context. Instead they propose six independent dimensions - organizational alignment, team effectiveness, infrastructure robustness, governance, support, and adoption - each scored 1-5 by multiple evaluators and plotted on a hexagonal radar chart, whose shape reveals imbalances and priorities. It includes a downloadable self-assessment template and recommends repeating the exercise quarterly.