​Can a design system enable cost savings and design consistency?

The answer is yes to both. When you create a design system, developers reuse code rather than rewriting it each time you need a new page, application or site built. Also, if you're managing a design team, you can give your designers the same tools across the team.

Need some inspiration or examples?

Check out some of these design system leaders!
https://www.carbondesignsystem.com/
https://material.io/

Designer responsibilities

Designers need to be mindful to report bugs or other defects so that the kit is constantly improving. After all, most likely a defect on your implementation will affect others. Additionally, it is up to designers/UX to keep the kit accessible since its code will be used elsewhere.

Developer responsibilities 

If UX deems a pattern important and reusable enough across an enterprise, developers should contribute the code back to the UI kit so it can be reused and lessen efforts the next time the pattern is needed elsewhere.

Management responsibilities: Maintenance, brand infusion and consistency

A design system is always growing, evolving and sunsetting where necessary, especially during this rapid time of UX growth and change. This includes the need for resources (development) for ongoing maintenance.

​Additionally, someone needs to be in charge of making sure the kit is cohesive so that it sticks to brand standards - you would want five different sites under one organization looking cohesive, right? Also, you would want all of the design patterns look seamless, right?

Keeping the two sides consistent

It is also super important to keep the design software design system, such Invision's DSM, in-sync with the staged site that your organization is using. This will lessen developer confusion as they inspect your wires. Designers should alert their development team if kit code changes are needed, and developers should alert designers if something is inconsistent.

Encouraging adoption at the project/Scrum team level

If you're on a design team, and you notice your team isn't using a kit component that is clearly there, you should direct them to the right pattern or find out why the implementation wasn't executed. If UX releases a new kit version and your application isn't using it, your site will be left behind.