How soon should you have a design system?

Michael, the founding Designer and Product Manager at Lago, shares insights into why the company decided to implement a design system from the beginning, contrary to the common practice of waiting until after a Series B investment. He emphasizes that while a design system doesn't directly help achieve product-market fit, it significantly accelerates the iteration process by establishing a set of standards, creating visual consistency, and facilitating communication between product design and front-end engineering teams. This early investment in a design system helped Lago quickly adapt to changes, reduce time spent on designing screens, and maintain a cohesive user experience, ultimately enabling the company to pivot efficiently and onboard engineers effectively. Despite the initial time investment and uncertainty, the design system has proven valuable, allowing for rapid development and easy rebranding, with minimal drawbacks. Michael also suggests resources for those interested in learning more about design systems, including blog posts and expert recommendations.