Jun 20, 2025
What I Learned from Philipp Jeroma at Into Design Systems Conference 2025
At Into Design Systems 2025 Philipp Jeroma opened the conference with a practical, honest and detail-packed session:
“Design Tokens Workflow in Figma: A Practical Guide”
It wasn’t just about how to create Design Tokens
It was about how to think 🧠 before you build them
Here is what I learned from his session at Into Design Systems conference:
Start with the problem not with tokens
Philipp framed the session around a fictional cyberpunk company called Yoguda Corp, where “Director Miller” demands tokens immediately.
Sound familiar?
The point: don’t build tokens just because someone said you should!
Start with clear goals
Understand the why before jumping into the how!
Tokens aren’t the same as variables
This confused me for the longest time, and Philipp cleared it up:
Design tokens are framework-agnostic design decisions
Variables are how those decisions get implemented in tools like Figma or code
Think of tokens as the recipe. Variables are how you cook it in your specific kitchen.
Use variables for quick setups. Use tokens when you need scalability, platform diversity, and clear governance.
The 5 pillars that prevent chaos
Here’s where Philipp really delivered. He shared his Design Token Starter Canvas a framework built around five pillars that can save your future self from a world of pain:
1. Strategic alignment — What problem are tokens actually solving?
2. Organizational governance — Who makes decisions? How do people contribute?
3. Infrastructure — What’s your source of truth? How will tokens sync across tools?
4. Architecture & scaling — What naming conventions will you use? How many tiers?
5. Maintenance — How will you document, release, and gather feedback?
This isn’t a linear checklist you work through once. It’s a workspace to think, test, and revisit as your system grows.
“Start small and iterate. Big leaps are expensive.” — Philipp Jeroma
What stuck with me
A few insights I’m definitely stealing:
Don’t plan tokens in isolation
Tie them to real interface examples. Abstract planning leads to abstract solutions.Run naming workshops
Get designers and developers in the same room. The friction usually happens at the handoff, so solve it together.Use Figma’s library analytics
Measure component usage to make informed decisions about which tokens matter most.Automate documentation
Manual documentation multiplies time and effort. If you’re copying and pasting token values, you’re doing it wrong.Version your tokens like code
Semantic versioning isn’t just for developers. Treat tokens with the same care.
Practical tools and resources
To help people get started, Philipp shared two powerful Figma resources:
Design Token Starter Canvas: a FigJam file to help teams think through decisions collaboratively
Design Token Starter Set: a Figma file with over 250 tokens across multiple tiers and modes
Design Token Starter Canvas in FigJam
To help teams get started, Philipp shared his Design Token Starter Canvas a FigJam file packed with pre-structured questions aligned to the five planning pillars.
It’s not a one-time worksheet. It’s more like a companion to help you document decisions, test assumptions and involve stakeholders over time.
He walked through the file live and showed how it’s meant to be used:
A “Get Started” section that explains the purpose and how to use the file
A glossary for common token terms and frameworks like RACI
Pre-filled examples from the fictional Yoguda Corp to spark ideas
A flexible working area that covers strategy, governance, infrastructure, architecture, and maintenance
“It’s not a checklist or a linear process. It’s a space to think, revise, and collaborate.”
Hands-on session on Figma Variables
Philipp didn’t just talk about token theory he showed it in action
In the second half of his session, he walked through a full Figma file designed to help you move from planning to actual token setup using Figma variables.
Here’s what stood out in the walkthrough:
The file includes 250+ predefined tokens across multiple tiers and themes
It uses a global → alias → component structure, but you can adjust it to match your system
You’ll find real variable collections already organized by purpose (e.g. interaction, purpose, background, text, radius, typography)
Each variable is editable, and you can immediately see how those changes cascade into components and UI elements
He also showed how to:
Document tokens manually or with automation tools like Token Studio or Supernova
Adjust tokens by mode, for example applying dark-only variants in an MVP
Extend the system by adding custom modes (like mid-emphasis colors) or updating primary colors to match brand palettes
Use real interfaces from the fictional Yoguda Corp to test decisions in context
“Don’t build everything upfront. Just enough to test with your design and dev setup — and iterate.”
More resources and questions from the Conference Miro Board
After his session, Philipp shared even more resources inside the official Into Design Systems Miro board which is available to all ticket holders and those who purchase access to the recordings.
He also took time to respond to follow-up questions from the community, including:
I’m a solo UI/UX Designer in the organization. How can you reduce the scope of Design Tokens so I can maintain it along with other work?
How do you recommend building themes with Figma Variables while also supporting a dark mode for each one?
What naming convention would you recommend for semantic layers?
How do you convince stakeholders to let you create a design system? Do you choose a demo project?
If this sparked ideas for you, Philipp shared even more during and after the talk
You can explore the full session, see all the slides and templates, and dive into the Miro board where he answered extra questions from the community.
What’s included:
The complete recording of his session
Planning canvases, starter kits and Figma files
The shared Miro board with Q&A and even more resources
Plus 20+ other sessions on design tokens, Figma variables, ROI, accessibility, documentation and more