Humanist Design Systems
A 3-day 1:1 workshop
Most design systems fail not because of bad components, but because they ignore the humans who build and use them. This workshop is about building systems that people actually want to adopt — grounded in real collaboration, not theoretical frameworks.
What you'll learn
- How to audit your existing design landscape and identify what actually needs systematizing
- Building a token architecture that scales without becoming a bureaucratic nightmare
- Component API design that balances flexibility with consistency
- Governance models that work — getting buy-in from design, engineering, and product
- Documentation strategies that people read (yes, really)
- When to break your own system — and how to do it without burning everything down
3 days, 1:1
Day 1 — Foundations
We start with your context. What's working, what's broken, what's missing. We'll map your design landscape, define principles, and build a token architecture tailored to your product and team. No cookie-cutter frameworks.
Day 2 — Building
Hands-on component design. We'll work through real components from your product, designing APIs that balance flexibility and guardrails. You'll learn how to think in systems without losing the craft.
Day 3 — Scaling
The hard part: getting people to use it. We'll build your governance model, contribution workflows, and documentation strategy. You'll leave with a concrete plan for rolling out your system — and keeping it alive.
Who it's for
Design leads and senior designers who are responsible for (or about to start) a design system. Product designers who want to think more systemically. Eng leads who want to bridge the gap with design. If you've ever stared at a Figma library and thought "there has to be a better way" — this is for you.
Your instructor
I'm Francesco Cutolo, Design Lead at Wolt. I've spent 15+ years building products and design systems at companies like Wolt, Klarna, AIRC, and Parmalat. I led Alchemy (Wolt's design system), built Bubble (Klarna's design system), and ran Orbit — design system workshops and consultations for teams across Europe. I care about craft, collaboration, and building things that last.
Ready to build a system that works for your team?
Book on Gumroad →