On Theme: Design Systems in Depth

Noelle joins me again for some 2026 predictions trend encapsulations, and we try to unpack the absolute madness of the first two months of 2026. 
1️⃣  Designing with code is in, making pictures of UIs is out. 
2️⃣ The new critical deliverables for systems teams are design guidelines, agent rules, tokens, and semantic APIs. 
3️⃣ We're gonna see a real focus on brand expression, but also on one-offs. 
4️⃣ Design system teams, you do organizational behavior change. 
5️⃣ The next chapter of the design system narrative is around quality rather than efficiency. 
Plus: the rise of the design engineer and a return to the early 2000s ways of working? I hope so!, nothingburger brands, and design systems gatekeeping.
Season 2 of On Theme is officially here! 🎉 💖 If you like what you're hearing from On Theme, please hit subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. On Theme is  sponsor free and listener supported, so please support the show with a monthly donation.
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My very first minisode of the entire podcast was some 2025 predictions, and a lot has changed. (Honestly, what was I thinking trying to make predictions in the era of AI? fml) Noelle Lansford joined me for Season Two's official first episode to  recap my 2025 predictions with me and look back on the trends and themes we saw in design-systems-land last year.
Stay tuned for part two where we dive in to our 2026 predictions!
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I'm back from Zeroheight's Converge conference in Bristol, UK, with my recap and thoughts. In this minisode, find out my three major themes from the event: reducing complexity, shifting towards code to design, and the narratives "framing our future". 

Resources & Links:
Zeroheight's Converge
3 practical ways LLMs can support design systems teams today, on the Zeroheight blog
From Promises to Practice: the Future of Design Systems, my talk at Converge (video coming soon)
John Voss's talk Framing the Future (coming soon)
US Section 174 R&D Tax explained
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Surprise minisode! In this quick episode, hear a few ways AI tools are useful for design systems now, my new favorite design-eng handoff tool, and three can't-miss industry events this fall.
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Chat, this is the last episode of season one! Thank you for listening and supporting the show! There's no better way to wrap up, IMO, than an optimistic and curious exploration of what it means to be a creative human in an increasingly technological world.
So to wrap up season one, Natalya Shelburne joins me to explore how design leaders can cultivate creativity in an era of rapid technological and organizational change. Drawing from her degree and research in creativity, Natalya shares insights on fostering innovation, overcoming fear-driven management styles, and why embracing artistic thinking is essential for teams navigating the age of AI. She explains the importance of creating safe environments to unlock creative potential and why outdated corporate structures simply can't compete. Plus, flow state, goats, expansive thinking, and hobbies. 

Links & References
Natalya Shelburne on LinkedIn
GitHub Primer
Natalya's talk at Beyond Tellerand, Channeling Chaos: Role of the Artist in the Age of AI
Twilio's Paste design system assistant
Research and books mentioned:Lev Vygotsky on cognitive development
Lauren Sosniak on phases of learning
Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's classic book Flow and an overview
Oliver Burkeman's Four Thousand Weeks
The Extended Mind

💖 On Theme is a brand new podcast, so if you like what you're hearing, please hit subscribe and sign up at designsystemsontheme.com!

🎨🎟️ Into Design Systems is May 25-28
Get your ticket at intodesignsystems.com/ontheme

Into Design Systems is back with their annual virtual conference, May 28-30, 2025. Get your ticket now for three days of practical, hands on sessions showing the what, why, and how of design systems. This year, the conference is focused on developer handoff, accessibility, multi brand theming, and governance. You'll get hands on knowledge you can put to use at work immediately, files and resources to take away, and hear from very well known industry speakers. 
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