About Satellite
Satellite is Algolia's design system, serving as the foundation for all our products and tools. It provides a comprehensive set of components, patterns, and guidelines that ensure consistency across our entire product ecosystem while enabling teams to build features faster.
As the Design System Lead, I was responsible for evolving Satellite from a basic component library into a full-fledged design system that supports multiple platforms, themes, and use cases.
The Challenge
When I joined the project, Algolia was facing several challenges:
- Inconsistent user experience across different products
- Slow development cycles due to repeated work
- Difficulty maintaining design consistency at scale
- Limited documentation and guidance for teams
The Process
1. Component Audit
We began with a comprehensive audit of existing components across all products. This helped us identify patterns, inconsistencies, and opportunities for standardization.
2. Design Tokens
We established a robust design token system that serves as the foundation for our visual language, ensuring consistency in colors, typography, spacing, and other design elements.
3. Component Library
We rebuilt our component library using modern technologies and best practices, focusing on accessibility, performance, and customization capabilities.
4. Documentation
We created comprehensive documentation covering usage guidelines, best practices, and technical implementation details for all components and patterns.
Key Achievements
- Reduced development time for new features by 40%
- Improved accessibility scores across all products
- Established a streamlined contribution process
- Created a community of practice around design systems
- Implemented automated testing and documentation
Impact & Results
The implementation of Satellite has transformed how teams at Algolia build products. We've seen significant improvements in development velocity, design consistency, and overall product quality. The system now supports over 200 components and is used by dozens of teams across the organization.
The success of Satellite has also led to increased visibility and recognition in the design systems community, with several other companies adopting our methodologies and approaches.