The Design System Playbook: Strategy, Governance & Influence
In the fast-paced world of UX, maintaining consistency and efficiency across products isn’t just a challenge—it’s a governance problem. A well-structured design system can bridge the gap between design and development, accelerate workflows, and drive cohesive user experiences. But how do you ensure its success? In this talk, I’ll share my experience as the Senior User Experience Architect for the City of Calgary, where I built and now govern our Design System. From balancing stakeholder demands to setting UX standards and managing agile component prioritization, I’ll reveal the strategic playbook for making design systems scalable, adaptable, and impactful.
Shuchi Sinha
Senior User Experience Architect at City of Calgary
Shuchi is a Senior UX Architect at the City of Calgary, where she built their Design System from the ground up and now serves on its governing body. She is passionate about creating meaningful experiences that impact Calgarians. With a knack for navigating complexity, she has worked on major projects like Green Line and Scotia Place.
Previously, she was at Critical Mass, designing for fintech and telecom. Her Architecture background shaped her ability to embrace ambiguity—a skill she brings to UX, daily. With 13+ years in design, she loves exploring new ideas and pushing boundaries."