Zurich Design System process ​

ZDS has been created to be inclusive, collaborative and a dynamic ecosystem that is continuously being developed with valuable input from our diverse user base. We actively encourage and appreciate all feedback, suggestions and innovative ideas you have to help us improve.

If you are interested in participating, please reach out to us through our public teams channel - Zurich Design System. We would be delighted to engage in a brief conversation to explore potential opportunities to collaborate.

Our Internal process has been designed to be efficient and straightforward, this is essential to maintain consistency and adhere to the established procedures for every enhancement or addition to ZDS, given the extensive range of BUs it impacts.

A closer look at ZDS processes ​

Request process ​

The first step is understanding the needs of the requestor. Whether it is about adding components or providing support, our team will be in touch to find the right approach for you.

During this process we analyze:

  • Request type and impact - Is it a request for support using ZDS or for adding new assets or variants to existing assets?
  • Costs and efforts required - Does the requestor have a design proposal or an already implemented asset?
  • Initial status of the input - Could the newly proposed component be utilized by various BUs in the future?

Thereafter the individual submitting the request and the ZDS team will gain a comprehensive understanding of the necessary steps for progress. This aids in establishing a timeline and prioritizing the request within our internal backlog, ensuring inclusivity and efficient collaboration.

Design spike ​

The next phase involves our Design Spike, which emphasizes user-centric solutions. For ZDS, the visual appeal and user experience is a very important element that drives our Design System´s creations. In collaboration with the requestor, we will develop the solution and present this to various stakeholders, including our UX/UI community and the Brand Team. This ensures the new components utility for diverse use cases and its alignment with our global brand identity.

We additionally engage our development team for validation, confirming the component´s scalability and feasibility concerning implementation across various frameworks connected to ZDS. This fosters inclusivity, approachability and professionalism across the entire process.

Implementation process ​

Once the design and validation of the solution is completed we transition to the implementation phase. In this stage the component is crafted by our design team and incorporated into our libraries, while our development team generate the code assets for the SDK and code repositories that form part of ZDS. To expedite the process, and if the components nature permits, both tasks occur simultaneously.

We do have certain instances where the design component may be finalized and introduced as a Beta Component. This provides designers with the extra opportunity to test the component before it reaches the final stage of development.

Thereafter our new component is ready to be unveiled in the next Zurich Design System release. For every release, we document newly created components to provide both awareness and guidance on the correct use of the new assets.

Other processes ​

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Report a bug in a component ​

If you have found a bug, please let us know by using the ZDS Dev Support or ZDS Design Support channels.

For us to be able to provide support as soon as possible we require the following information:

  • Description of the bug
  • Steps to reproduce the bug
  • Expected vs. actual behavior
  • Screenshots or screen recordings
  • Environment details – ZDS package used & version, Framework or Platform used, browser used & version, device type, etc.
  • Severity level (if applicable)

The ZDS team monitor the above channels and will provide support within 24-48 hrs (working hours) depending on the complexity of the bug.

Suggest changes, new configurations for a component, or new components ​

If you would like to request a variation of an existing component or the addition of a new component please let us know by using the ZDS Dev Support or ZDS Design Support channels.

You can find out more about the process we follow for these requests on our About ZDS document page

Request help with installation or integration ​

If you have a product that requires specific themes please let us know and we can have a call to see how we can help you. You can reach us on the ZDS Dev Support or ZDS Design Support channels.

We are also there to help with installing or integrating the libraries with your chosen IDE, framework or platform