Design systems aren't just for big companies. Even a two-person team benefits from shared components and tokens.
Start With Tokens
Define colors, spacing, typography, and shadows as variables first. Components reference tokens, not hardcoded values.
Build Core Components
Button, Input, Card, Modal, Badge — these cover 80% of UI needs. Get them right before adding exotic components.
Document Usage
Each component needs: when to use it, when NOT to use it, and code examples. Storybook is the standard tool.