The design system had no rules, no program, and no way to prioritize what got built. This case study covers how a governance framework took it from zero visibility to a full, tracked backlog.
Domain
Governance & Process
Year
'25 - '26
Scope
Jira → Agile Sync
Problem
Engineering, product, and design teams submitted requests in different channel. There was no single source of truth, no queue, and no clear decision path. Urgent asks mixed with long-term improvements, and nobody knew what was approved, blocked, or already in progress.
Solution
0→100% Q4: zero tracked design system requests. Q1 2026: a full, visible, staged, and reviewed backlog every request had a status anyone could check. 100% Requests moved from inboxes to a single tracked intake queue 1 One source of truth for design system requests across engineering, product, and design.
The Pitch
The problem surfaced over time. I proposed a governance model with a working intake process, designed to use the systems teams already relied on. Cross-functional leadership approved the approach.
The Build
I built an intake form that automatically synced approved requests to a review board, managed by the design system governance committee of design and engineering leads. I added a weekly cadence for anything needing a faster answer than the formal process allowed. The goal was a visible, staged, and reviewed backlog.
Adoption Without Friction
Approved tickets synced directly into the agile boards teams already used, instead of requiring a new tool removing adoption friction.
