I’ve heard a lot of conversation lately in design system circles about design systems being “cost centers.”

It’s true.

The definition of a “cost center” is a “department or function within an organization that does not directly add to profit but still costs the organization money to operate.“ By that definition, a design system is certainly a cost center.

The problem is not the definition. The problem is the connotation. Describing anything as a “cost center” leaves a bad taste in executives’ mouths. Cost centers are generally seen as “necessary evils,” not really the most positive impression you want your design system to have. In short, even though it’s accurate, it’s a terrible sales pitch.

Marketing departments are cost centers too. Design teams are cost centers. Engineering teams are cost centers. R&D teams are cost centers. (Really, the only team that isn’t a cost center is a sales team.)

So why don’t these departments get described as cost centers? Because they often produce a sizable return on the cost investment.

That’s the key to making your design system be seen as more than just a cost center: ensure that it returns more than it costs to run.

How do you do that? By focusing your attention on things that take others a long time to create that would take your team a short amount of time to create.