If you’re a designer looking to level up your skills and dive into design systems, you’re in the right place! Whether you're new to design systems or want to sharpen your skills, I’ve gathered some of the best free and paid resources to help you out. Let’s break it down!
What is a Design System?
A design system is like a style guide on steroids. It includes User Interface (UI) components, typography, colors, spacing, design tokens, documentation, and more. Companies use design systems to keep their products looking and feeling consistent while making design and development faster and smoother.
If you've used Material Design, IBM Carbon, or Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines, you've already seen design systems in action!
Free Courses & Resources
1. Introduction to Design Systems (Free)
Figma has amazing free tutorials that explain how to create and manage a design system from scratch. It covers the basics, like components, styles, and design tokens, making it perfect for beginners who want to learn how to build scalable designs.
2. Atomic Design by Brad Frost (Free)
Brad Frost’s Atomic Design methodology teaches a smart way to build design systems. It breaks UI into five levels: atoms, molecules, organisms, templates, and pages, making it easy to create reusable and scalable design components. It’s a great read if you want to understand why modular design works so well.
3. A11y Project (Free - Accessibility Focused)
Accessibility (A11y) is super important, and this resource helps you make your design system inclusive for everyone. It covers color contrast, screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, and more, so you can create designs that work for people with disabilities. If you want to ensure your design system is inclusive, this is a must-read!
Paid Courses (For Deeper Learning & Certification)
1. Memorisely: Design Systems Bootcamp (Highly Recommended)
This is a hands-on, live course where you’ll build a real design system in Figma, work on team projects, and get feedback from instructors. It’s a well structured program if you enjoy interactive learning with real peer collaboration!
Duration: 5 weeks (Live Classes)
Price: ~$850
2. NN/g (Nielsen Norman Group): Design System & Pattern Libraries
This course is highly respected in the industry and is perfect if you want deep knowledge of design systems strategy, governance, and implementation. It’s theory-heavy, making it a good option for senior designers and UX leaders who need to scale design systems in large organizations. It'’s a highly respected certificate, but it’s pricey. It's also best for senior designers who want credibility.
Duration: 1-2 Days (Live Classes)
Price: ~$1,215 per course
3. Interaction Design Foundation (IxDF): Design Systems: How to Craft Successful Components
This course is a solid introduction to design systems, covering theory, UI components, governance, and best practices. If you’re new to design systems and want an affordable, structured way to learn, this course is affordable and great for beginners.
Duration: Self-paced
Price: $50 standard price / $5 special member price
Free vs. Paid Design System Courses: Which Path is Right for You?
If you’re just getting started and want to explore design systems without spending money, Figma’s Introduction to Design Systems and Atomic Design by Brad Frost are great choices. These resources will give you a strong foundation in building and managing a design system.
On the other hand, if you're looking to advance your career or gain certification, investing in a paid course like Memorisely's Design Systems Bootcamp (highly recommended) or NN/g's Design Systems and Pattern Libraries can help you stand out to employers. Paid courses often provide structured learning, hands-on projects, and expert feedback, making them a great choice for those who want to apply design systems at a professional level.
Final Thoughts
Learning design systems can supercharge your career whether you’re a UX/UI designer or a developer. Start with the free resources, experiment in Figma, and if you want to go deeper, consider a structured paid course.
If you don’t want to take a course but would like to discuss design systems and how I can help you build one for your team, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you!