Design systems for infinity | Schema by Figma 2025

Quick Overview

Rachel Been from Expedia Group details the evolution of design systems towards "Design Systems for Infinity," emphasizing the necessity for systems to be inherently flexible, context-aware, and able to dynamically compose interfaces from machine-readable components to meet infinite human needs and intentions across diverse devices, moving beyond static metaphors like buttons and rows.

Key Points: Design systems must evolve beyond static metaphors (like buttons and sliders) to handle infinite possibilities and user intentions. Expedia Group recently adopted a new design system philosophy to support its complex portfolio of travel brands (Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo). The goal is to move from fixed, explicit UI elements to dynamic composition, allowing the system to build personalized interfaces in real-time. Key concepts include semantic design language and intent-driven design, where components act as vehicles for intent rather than just fixed controls. The presentation highlighted examples from Google Home's ambient computing approach, where context drives interface presentation (e.g., showing different controls based on ambient needs). The future design system must be highly flexible, allowing components to dynamically expand, contract, and recompose based on user context and needs across all screen sizes and modes.

Context: Rachel Been, SVP of Design at Expedia Group, discusses the challenges of maintaining design consistency across a massive portfolio of travel products (Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo) while simultaneously needing to create highly personalized and context-aware user experiences for modern ambient computing environments. This transition requires moving away from traditional, static design system approaches to one that embraces infinite expressiveness and dynamism.

Detailed Analysis

The presentation advocates for a paradigm shift in design systems, moving from fixed, explicit metaphors (like buttons and sliders) to highly flexible, intent-driven systems capable of dynamic composition—dubbed "Design Systems for Infinity." Rachel Been, formerly of Google and now at Expedia Group, illustrates this by contrasting early design systems focused on consistency (like Material Design) with the need for systems that adapt to infinite user needs and contexts, especially in ambient computing. She references Google's approach where interfaces dynamically adapt based on detected human needs (like monitoring a baby or adjusting home lighting). For Expedia Group, this means supporting a vast product portfolio (Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo) where the underlying design system must support conversational UI and context-aware adaptation, ensuring that components are not just static elements but vehicles for intent that can recompose themselves in real-time based on user context and input, leading to hyper-personalized experiences.