It’s essential for agencies to feel like they have access to a support network and a sense of ownership to learn from one another and contribute back to USWDS.
Give back to the design system
Agencies developing their own solutions, sharing them back to the community, and adding to the codebase is one of the most essential ways that USWDS continues to thrive. This extends to identifying common challenges and needs that could lead to the development of new components.
Agency teams are already creating custom solutions to adapt or add on to the design system, but they’re sometimes unsure how to contribute those ideas back to USWDS.
I think some teams want to contribute back, help with testing, etc. That would be a cool call for action — for people who want to work with USWDS on a component that agencies need. — Manager
Collaborate with others
Agency teams enjoy the USWDS monthly calls and Slack channel and are looking for more ways to hear from and collaborate with others using the design system. Given the relatively small size of the USWDS team, there are also opportunities to leverage the related work and reach of other partners and groups, including other digital.gov communities, Federal Web Council, and many more.
It would be interesting to host breakout sessions where USWDS provides a space to have cross-agency conversations. — Designer
Conversation starters
We should increase our efforts to better engage the community in the continued development and improvement of the design system.
How might we shift the culture around the design system to be more inclusive?
How might we better communicate a “by the people, for the people, with the people” mindset?
How might we encourage and support more cross-agency collaboration?
How might we keep up momentum with the current enthusiasm? Where can USWDS lean on others for additional support?
