Case Study
Truffle Design System
Overview
As a multi-application fintech platform, Stax faced significant UI inconsistencies that hindered both user experience and development efficiency. To address this, a scalable design system that established a unified brand identity, streamlined workflows, and laid the foundation for future growth. This case study details our approach, the challenges faced, and the impact of Truffle on Stax’s design and development teams.
Problem Statement
Stax’s ecosystem lacked visual and functional consistency across its applications, leading to inefficiencies and usability issues. Designers were repeatedly solving the same UI problems, while developers were implementing components inconsistently, causing friction in cross-team collaboration and slower time-to-market for new features.
Objectives
Unify the brand experience – Ensure a cohesive look and feel across all Stax applications.
Establish clear design guidelines – Provide a framework that defines how and when to use UI components.
Enhance efficiency – Reduce redundant work for designers and developers, allowing teams to focus on innovation rather than re-creating patterns.
Improve accessibility – Guarantee compliance with WCAG standards to create a more inclusive product.
Research and Discovery
Recognizing the complexity of building a design system from the ground up, we conducted extensive research, including:
Competitive analysis: Examined industry-leading design systems (e.g., Google’s Material Design, IBM’s Carbon) to identify best practices.
Internal UX audit: Documented inconsistencies and pain points across Stax applications.
Stakeholder interviews: Engaged with designers, developers, and product managers to understand workflow inefficiencies and design needs.
These insights informed our roadmap, helping us prioritize the most impactful components and guidelines.
Target Audience & System Scope
Truffle was designed primarily for designers and developers, serving as a single source of truth for UI components, patterns, and best practices. Key elements included:
Designers: Figma libraries with structured components and documentation to ensure consistency.
Developers: Storybook implementation with design tokens and code-ready components for seamless handoff.
Product teams: Guidelines for leveraging design patterns to enhance usability and accessibility.
Design Process
Naming & Branding
The name Truffle was inspired by Stax’s mascot—a pig—symbolizing the value our design system would bring. This playful but meaningful branding helped drive adoption within the organization.
Foundation: Colors & Typography
Color Palette: Developed an accessible color system, rigorously tested to meet AA contrast standards.
Typography: Initially chose a non-monospaced font but pivoted to a monospaced one better suited for fintech applications, ensuring precision in numerical displays.
Component Development
We prioritized core UI components such as buttons, text fields, dropdowns, and modals, balancing scalability and usability. Each component was designed with:
Flexible states (hover, active, disabled)
Theming support for dark and light modes
WCAG-compliant contrast ratios
Collaboration with Engineering
To align with developers, we:
Used Storybook for real-time UI component testing and documentation.
Implemented design tokens to bridge the gap between design and code.
Created “Do’s & Don’ts” documentation to guide usage and prevent inconsistencies.
Take a Peek at the Truffle Design System
Truffle Color Pallete
Truffle Text Fields
Iconography
Truffle Tables
Implementation & Impact
AlBy establishing Truffle, we achieved: 30% faster design-to-development cycles – Standardized components reduced redundant work. Improved cross-functional collaboration – Clear guidelines minimized back-and-forth between designers and engineers. Enhanced accessibility – AA-compliant color contrasts ensured inclusivity. Scalability for future growth – A modular system that evolves with business needs.
Takeaways
1. Adapting to a Company-Wide Rebrand
Midway through Truffle’s development, Stax underwent a major rebrand, requiring a complete overhaul of colors and typography. This reinforced the importance of scalability and flexibility in design systems.
2. Driving Adoption
A design system is only effective if teams use it. Training sessions, created onboarding materials, and championed its value to secure buy-in across teams.
3. Balancing Standardization & Creativity
While consistency was the goal, we ensured Truffle remained adaptable, allowing designers to innovate within structured guidelines.
Future Considerations (Currently in Discovery)
Truffle is now an integral part of Stax’s product development process, continuously evolving alongside the company. Looking ahead, we plan to:
Expand the system to include motion design and advanced data visualization components.
Implement automated accessibility testing for ongoing compliance.
Establish a governance model to ensure long-term maintenance and evolution.