Product craft in the age of AI and design systems: Raising the ceiling, not just the floor
Summary
The article explores the concept of "product craft" in the context of modern design systems and AI tools. It argues that design systems alone can only raise the quality floor (setting a baseline), not the quality ceiling. The author suggests that true product quality improvement requires a deeper focus on craft — the intentional, human-centered decisions that go beyond what components and AI can automate. The piece examines how teams can maintain high standards and creative ownership even as design systems and AI handle more of the repetitive work.
Source
SidebarProduct craft in the age of AI and design systems: Raising the ceiling, not just the floorbencallahan.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledA design system can only raise the quality floor. It sets the baseline below which nothing should ship.
Ask a design system team how they'll raise the quality of the products they support, and you'll usually hear one of two options.
The first is to make better components, perhaps with more opinionated defaults. The second is to tighten up the quality gates.
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