Reusing What Works:

Delivering a Government Design System at Speed

Overview
Client
MBIE – New Zealand Government
Industry
Government / Public Sector

The goal was to enable local councils to launch digital services quickly and consistently, reducing delivery time from months to minutes.

Previous efforts to establish a national design system had consumed significant time and budget but stalled before achieving adoption. A different approach was needed — one focused on speed, practicality, and reuse rather than reinvention.

Approach
Strategic Direction
  • Avoid rebuilding a design system from scratch
  • Prioritise speed and usability over theoretical completeness
  • Focus on reuse of proven systems rather than reinvention
Leveraging Existing Systems
  • Adopted the UK Government design system as a mature, open-source foundation
  • Evaluated patterns, accessibility standards, and scalability
  • Mapped suitability to New Zealand government service needs
Adaptation & Execution
  • Reworked the system at an atomic level (colour, type, components)
  • Aligned the design language with New Zealand government identity
  • Maintained accessibility and usability standards
  • Created a cohesive system grounded in proven patterns
Delivery Model
  • Delivered by a single practitioner
  • Minimised process overhead and duplication
  • Focused on practical implementation and immediate usability
Outcome
  • Delivered a complete design system in a matter of weeks
  • Reduced reliance on large teams and extended timelines
  • Enabled faster rollout of digital services across councils
  • Provided a scalable and maintainable foundation for future government products
  • Demonstrated a pragmatic model for public sector delivery through reuse of proven systems