Help the design stay coherent across changes
Shared tokens, semantic components and checks each do a different job.
When the project growsAbout 2 min read
A local improvement can create a wider mismatch
A new button may look reasonable on its own while using different spacing, weight or interaction from the rest of the app. Several conversations can leave several visual habits behind. Fixing another isolated screen does not necessarily bring them together.
Different responsive breakpoints are not inherently wrong. A navigation bar and a writing workspace may need different transitions. The issue is whether those choices serve a clear layout role or are accidental variations.
Give each layer a responsibility
My Next Step combines a design document, shared component ownership and presentation checks. Tokens name recurring values. Semantic components describe roles such as primary action or secondary action. Layout rules govern how regions share space.
An automated check can enforce named boundaries, such as where tokens are owned or how a shared component is imported. It cannot judge every composition, every contrast problem or whether the action still makes sense. The written system and rendered review need each other.
Change the shared language deliberately
Before adding a new colour or button style, check whether an existing role fits. If a new role is needed, define it once and review the places that will use it. Avoid a one-off override that makes the current screenshot pass while changing another width.
Test the shared component’s states and representative consuming pages in compact and wide layouts. Consistency should reduce surprises; it should still leave room for a project’s different kinds of work.