At Beezy I finally got to do something I’d wanted to do since Liferay. Build a design system from scratch. No inherited decisions, no legacy components to work around. Just a blank Figma file and a team that needed consistency.
The work
I started with the foundations: design tokens, naming conventions, scalable component architecture, and a clear organizational hierarchy. In parallel, I shaped the visual identity of the system itself, including its voice and logo. I named it Nectar.
From there, I designed and documented the core components, integrating them into a shared Figma library that was structured, intuitive, and built for collaboration between design and engineering.
A Glimpse into the Nectar Design System
What I learned
Starting Nectar from scratch was both exciting and overwhelming. There were no old decisions to lean on — every structure, every name, every rule had to be thought through intentionally.
I learned how important the foundations really are. Things like naming conventions, file organization, and documentation might seem small, but they shape how easy (or frustrating) a system is to use.
I also realized that a design system is never ‘finished’. It has to evolve with the team. Keeping Nectar updated and relevant was just as important as building it in the first place.
Most of all, I learned to think beyond individual screens and focus on systems; on how everything connects and supports the people using it.
