Why It Matters
Design debt is the design equivalent of technical debt. Every detached instance, every hardcoded color, every "we'll fix it later" compounds over time. Small debts accumulate into systemic problems: inconsistent UIs, slow design velocity, frustrated developers. The key is balancing speed (sometimes incurring debt) with regular debt repayment.
Examples
1
Hundreds of one-off components created instead of extending the design system properly.
2
Outdated screens that still use deprecated components because no one updated them.
3
Inconsistent spacing across the product because the spacing scale was never standardized.
How BiblioKit Helps
Quantify your design debt with ComponentQA. Automated audits reveal detached instances, hardcoded values, and other debt indicators.
Related Terms
Detached Instance
A component instance that has been disconnected from its main component, breaking the link that allows automatic updates when the main component changes.
Token Drift
The gradual divergence between design tokens in Figma and their implementations in code, causing visual inconsistencies across platforms.
Design System Audit
A systematic review of design files to assess adherence to design system standards, identify inconsistencies, and find components that have drifted from their source.
Design Governance
The policies, processes, and controls that ensure design system standards are maintained, contributions are reviewed, and quality is preserved at scale.
Explore More Design Terms
Browse our complete glossary of Figma and design systems terminology.