Design Principles in Practice

Who this is for

This guide is for you if:

• You’re tired of the same debates coming up in meeting after meeting
• You work in environments where best practice rarely survives contact with reality
• You’ve seen good work stall because priorities weren’t clear
• You’re curious how design principles support better decisions in practice
• You want a shared way to explain why one decision is better than another

This is especially relevant for teams working on design systems, where shared principles help align decisions across design, product, and engineering.

You don’t need to already use formal design principles for this guide to be useful in practice.

What’s inside

The format is intentionally short and direct. This isn’t about learning concepts, it’s about having clear takeaways you can use while making decisions.

• What design principles actually are (and aren’t)
• Why most principles fail in practice
• Using principles to navigate trade-offs
• Applying principles when teams disagree
• Getting buy-in without politics
• Knowing when principles need to evolve

Short field notes throughout share real observations from teams where principles were tested.

A simple model used throughout the guide

Clear principles reduce rework, debate, and unnecessary meetings.

The sample chapter shows the tone, structure, and approach used throughout the guide. Read a sample chapter →

What’s inside the guide?

1. What design principles actually are (and aren't)
2. Why teams struggle to use them
3. Principles are for decisions under pressure
4. The anatomy of a strong principle
5. Writing principles that survive reality
6. When principles conflict (and they will)
7. Using principles in day-to-day design work
8. Getting buy-in without politics
9. Maintaining principles over time
10. A simple test: are your principles working?
11. Principles only work if you use them

Practical worksheets

They’re designed to turn abstract principles into concrete decisions.

The guide includes printable and digital worksheets designed to help you apply the ideas immediately:

• Principle stress-test worksheet, test if a principle holds under real constraints
• Trade-off mapping template, clarify the tensions your principles address
• Decision review checklist, use principles in critiques and reviews

Use them on your own or with a team.

About the author

Written by Ben Brignell, a design consultant who has spent 25 years helping teams make better decisions and the creator of principles.design, a resource used by millions of designers worldwide

Pricing

VAT handled at checkout · No subscription · Instant download

Often costs less than a single meeting.

In formal education? Student pricing available.

14-day refund

If you don’t feel this guide has helped you think more clearly about decisions and trade-offs, you can request a full refund within 14 days.

No questions asked.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a book or a reference?
It’s a field guide that distils complex thinking into clear, practical points you can use during real work, supported by simple worksheets for applying them. It can be read in a single sitting and returned to when preparing for meetings or workshops.

You can also read a sample chapter to see the format.

Is this only for designers?
No. It’s written primarily for designers, product managers, engineers, and others responsible for shared systems and standards — but the principles apply to anyone making complex decisions.

Will this be updated?
Yes. Updates are included with your purchase.

Can I expense this?
Yes, a receipt is provided at checkout.

What if it’s not useful?
If the guide doesn’t help you think more clearly about design decisions and trade-offs, you can request a full refund within 14 days. No questions asked.