Design Systems WTF

Does your design system need a PM?

Episode 52 - Does your design system need a PM?Live recording of the fortnightly podcast Design Systems WTF (back for season two!), where Luke Murphy and Michelle Chin attempt to combat all the amazing wtf in design systems. In each episode, they answer a single question around design system troubles with a Q&A from the live audience. Time for the hot takes - do design systems need product management? Or is it something that just gets in the way and stops work happening?Show notesDesign System Report 2026Amy Hupe

What do you actually test?

Episode 51 - What do you actually test?Live recording of the fortnightly podcast Design Systems WTF (back for season two!), where Luke Murphy and Michelle Chin attempt to combat all the amazing wtf in design systems. In each episode, they answer a single question around design system troubles with a Q&A from the live audience.Once you've done a first pass on anything in your design system, how do you validate it? Do you create complicated automated tests to ensure absolute consistency? Or do you even put it in front of real people to make sure it works?Show notesRocket Surgery Made Easy by Steve KrugAXE MCP serverTetralogical - a great accessibility agency

Do MCPs care more about patterns or components?

Live recording of the fortnightly podcast Design Systems WTF (back for season two!), where Luke Murphy and Michelle Chin attempt to combat all the amazing wtf in design systems. In each episode, they answer a single question around design system troubles with a Q&A from the live audience.Now we're in the business of creating context for AI (ew), what is actually important when we're creating documentation that will be used by machines AND humans? Are detailed component guidelines important? Are the foundations essential to get right? Or can we rely on top-level patterns and vague guidance?Show notesHow LLMs use MCPs to read your design system and how to write prompts that work with thatProduct Deep Dive Webinar: MCP, vibe coding, and your design systemPDF of A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander et al.Google Prompting Essentials course on CourseraMarketing Against the Grain podcastAI and Design Systems course with Brad Frost, Ian Frost and TJ PitreTJ Pitre on LinkedInDom Nguyen on LinkedInSil Bormüller on LinkedIn

Are we delighting enough in our design systems?

Live recording of the fortnightly podcast Design Systems WTF (back for season two!), where Luke Murphy and Michelle Chin attempt to combat all the amazing wtf in design systems. In each episode, they answer a single question around design system troubles with a Q&A from the live audience.Design systems kill creativity, right? We've heard that said so many times. But are we actually taking the time to inject joy into the system itself? Not only considering it as a part of the process for what we include in the system, but also in how we do documentation, release notes, and general communication around the design system? Or controversially... is it even important?Show notesLuke’s article on delighting in design systemsSociete Generale release notes articleAaron Walter’s Heirarchy of User NeedsThe socks component in Gitlab’s Pyjamas design system

Do our design systems give new joiners anxiety?

Live recording of the fortnightly podcast Design Systems WTF (back for season two!), where Luke Murphy and Michelle Chin attempt to combat all the amazing wtf in design systems. In each episode, they answer a single question around design system troubles with a Q&A from the live audience.Set the scene - you've joined a new company as a product designer or engineer, and you're confronted with a massive system, with custom naming and opaque decisions. Queue anxiety. So how do we make our design systems easy to understand, and make them a strength for onboarding new joiners?Show notesAmy’s talk about jargonzh’s AI features