Vittorio Vittori

Design System Architect / Senior UX Designer

Feedback-Driven Improvement

Continuously improve the system based on real usage data, user feedback, and team needs.

Design Systems
Maintenance

A design system that doesn't respond to feedback becomes disconnected from reality.

Feedback-driven improvement means the system evolves based on:

  • how teams actually use it,
  • what problems they encounter,
  • and what they need to build better products.

Without feedback loops, the system team operates in isolation, making assumptions that may not match real-world needs.

Collect feedback systematically

Feedback should be easy to give and easy to process.

Collect feedback systematically

Bug report
Current behavior When the viewport is mobile, the component now going to full width.
Expected behavior When the viewport is mobile, the component should go to full width.
Component affected mds-status-bar
Provide clear channels for feedback (forms, issues, surveys). Rely solely on informal conversations or hallway chats. Make feedback collection part of regular workflows. Wait for feedback to come to you.
A list of tools and services related to this argument. Survey tools
Typeform logoTypeform Google Forms logoGoogle Forms
In-app feedback tools
Hotjar logoHotjar Survicate logoSurvicate
Issue tracking
GitHub logoGithub Issues Jira logoJira Linear logoLinear
Customer support
Slack logoSlack
Via newsletter
Via chat
 it may be outdated

Measure actual usage

Data reveals what teams really need, not just what they say they need.

Design system usage trends

Track component usage and adoption patterns. Assume all components are equally valuable. Identify unused or underused components. Ignore metrics that suggest components aren't working.
A list of tools and services related to this argument. Analytics
Google Analytics logoGoogle Analytics Amplitude logoAmplitude
Design system analytics
Custom telemetry
Build-time analysis
 Dashboards
Grafana logoGrafana Looker Studio logoLooker Studio
it may be outdated

Act on feedback visibly

Teams need to see that their input leads to change.

Feedback acknowledgment and implementation

Acknowledge feedback promptly and transparently. Collect feedback without responding or acting on it. Communicate when and how feedback influenced decisions. Make changes without explaining the connection to feedback.
A list of tools and services related to this argument. Changelogs
GitHub logoGitHub Releases Changeset logoChangelogs
Roadmaps
GitHub logoGitHub Projects Productboard logoProductboard
Communication
Slack logoSlack
Via newsletter
Via chat
 it may be outdated

Prioritize based on impact

Not all feedback is equally important.

Feedback prioritization matrix

Prioritize changes that affect many teams or critical workflows. Treat all feedback requests with equal urgency. Balance quick wins with strategic improvements. Only pursue large, complex changes.
A list of tools and services related to this argument. Prioritization frameworks
RICE model Impact vs Effort
Backlog management
Jira logoJira Linear logoLinear Notion logoNotion
it may be outdated

Close the feedback loop

Feedback should inform decisions, not just sit in a backlog.

Feedback-driven roadmap

Regularly review feedback and usage data to inform roadmap. Collect feedback without integrating it into planning. Share how feedback shaped system improvements. Make decisions in isolation from user needs.
A list of tools and services related to this argument. Documentation platforms
Storybook logoStorybook Docusaurus logoDocusaurus
Knowledge bases
Notion logoNotion Confluence logoConfluence
Review cadences
Sprint reviews
Quarterly planning
 it may be outdated

Why this principle matters

Feedback-driven improvement keeps the design system relevant and useful.

When teams see their input leads to real changes, they become more invested in the system and more likely to contribute.

Systems that ignore feedback become disconnected from user needs and eventually lose adoption and trust.

Feedback-Driven Improvement