Design Systems That Work for Everyone: Lessons from Higher Ed Leaders

Universities rely on design systems to create consistent, on-brand digital experiences across hundreds of sites and departments. But when these systems age or become bogged down by technical debt, they shift from being an asset to a liability. Publishing bottlenecks, slow updates, and overreliance on IT support can frustrate downstream users and stall strategic goals. This webinar brings together higher ed leaders who have lived through both sides of the equation: working with design systems that empower quick updates and collaboration, and ones that add friction and complexity. 

Panelists from UCLA and Pantheon will share real stories of migrations, rebrands, and governance wins that illustrate how a healthy design system can unlock efficiency, strengthen collaboration between marketing and IT, and keep institutions agile as needs evolve. Attendees will walk away with strategies to modernize their systems without starting over, and with insights that go beyond Drupal, Wordpress, or any single platform.

Key Takeaways

• How to recognize when your design system is holding you back—and practical steps to get it back on track.
• Governance and stakeholder buy-in strategies that keep marketing, communications, and IT aligned.
• Stories from the field: what worked (and what didn’t) during large-scale rebrands and migrations.
• The downstream impact: why modern design systems matter for content editors, web managers, and the students they serve.