A few days ago, I stood there and felt completely overwhelmed in the best possible way.
At the Design System Awards 2025 by zeroheight, Into Design Systems received two awards:
- Best Event
- Community Champion
Seeing Into Design Systems win brought back everything it took to get here.
Not because of recognition or trophies.
But because it reflected something much deeper.
Years of intentional work building a Design Systems community that puts people first.
The mission, not the size
I run Into Design Systems.
It is one of the world's largest online conferences and communities dedicated to Design Systems.
But the size was never the goal.
The mission always was.
From day one, my goal has been to create spaces where professionals can learn, connect and grow.
In an atmosphere that feels inclusive, supportive and genuinely welcoming.
Especially in a field like Design Systems.
Where topics such as Design Tokens, accessibility, governance and documentation can feel intimidating or overwhelming.
Starting from my living room
I started Into Design Systems five years ago from my living room.
I did not know anyone in this space.
I did not have a big network or a polished plan.
What I did have was a strong feeling.
Something was missing in the Design Systems world.
So much Design Systems content felt distant.
Too theoretical.
Often idealized case studies that did not reflect the messy reality teams face every day.
Meanwhile, designers and developers struggled with very real problems:
- How to scale Design Tokens across products
- How to build accessible components that work in practice
- How to create governance models people actually follow
- How to improve documentation and handoff between design and code
Into Design Systems was created to focus on exactly that.
Real workflows and practical learning.
The Best Event award
Over time, this grew into the Into Design Systems Conference.
Now the world's largest virtual and interactive Design Systems conference.
The Best Event award recognized something that has always been central to how we design this experience:
- Practical learning over hype
- Real-world application over theory
- Community over everything
The conference follows an "each one teach one" mindset.
People attend to learn.
They apply what they learned to their Design Systems work.
And often return later as speakers themselves.
That loop of learning, sharing and giving back is what makes Into Design Systems powerful.
This conference gave me direct insights into design tokens and workflows that immediately advanced my team's work. Two years later, I was able to give talks myself and share knowledge back with the community. I wouldn't be where I am today without this event and its inclusive network.
That is the impact I care about.
The Community Champion award
Receiving the Community Champion award was deeply personal.
It recognizes the invisible work behind building a Design Systems community.
The encouragement and the belief in people who are not always the loudest in the room.
As a neurodivergent and introverted leader, I know how overwhelming traditional conferences and large events can feel.
That experience shapes everything I build.
I design Into Design Systems to be empathy-driven and people-first.
So even those who do not usually thrive in big crowds can feel included, safe and inspired.
I often describe my role as a bit like Robin Hood.
For introverted, neurodivergent, shy and underrepresented people.
I try to take attention away from the loudest voices.
And give it to people who are incredibly talented but often overlooked.
I believe in them.
I push them gently.
And help them step onto the stage to share their work.
I lead through empathy and encouragement.
And I treat every Into Design Systems event like a piece of art.
I care deeply about the experience, the pacing, the tone and the emotional journey people go through while learning about Design Systems.
Every session is carefully curated.
Quality and relevance matter more than hype.
I want people to leave with knowledge they can actually apply to their Design Systems work the next day.
A global community
Today, Into Design Systems is a global network of more than 80,000 people.
Together, we have helped thousands become better Design System experts.
Not just through conferences and talks.
But through trust, community and shared learning.
Our Design Systems conference covers essential topics like Design Tokens, Figma Variables, accessibility, governance, developer handoff and AI-powered Design Systems workflows.
These awards belong to you
That is why I want to be very clear.
These awards are not about me.
They belong to the Into Design Systems community:
- To every attendee who showed up curious
- To every speaker who shared their work
- To every volunteer, host and moderator who made others feel welcome and seen
- To everyone who trusted this space enough to be themselves
Without you, I would not be here today.
And the work is not done.
There are still so many incredible talents who deserve support, visibility and confidence.
Into Design Systems will keep building spaces where learning feels human, kind and empowering.
Thank you ❤️
Sil
