Jul 24, 2025
Design systems aren’t just for big teams
Why small teams waste time without one — and what a real system actually looks like.
Sophie Taylor
Lead Designer at Pokota
You know the feeling. You’re three months in, the site’s live, but it still doesn’t feel right. You keep adjusting the copy. Swapping out hero images. Moving buttons around. It’s “close,” but not quite. Here’s the truth: your website isn’t almost there. It’s just not doing what it’s supposed to.
If you keep editing, the structure’s probably broken
The number of times we’ve seen a client obsess over button copy when the real issue is: the page has no flow. If someone doesn’t know what you do, who it’s for, or where to click — no copy tweak will fix that.
Structure is the thing. Every section needs a job. Every click needs a reason.
It’s not the CMS. It’s the content
Notion’s embedded. CMS is synced. Tech stack’s solid. But the content still feels like a placeholder.
That’s because it probably is.
Most early websites are filled with filler: “Solutions for modern teams,” “Streamline your workflow,” “Move fast and break things.” Your user didn’t show up to decode startup jargon. They came to solve a problem.
Design isn’t decoration
A lot of early sites look okay. But good design isn’t about decoration — it’s about guidance. It’s about helping your visitors understand, trust, and act.
Design isn’t the polish at the end. It’s part of the thinking from the start.
Stop adjusting pixels. Ask better questions.
If you’re spending more time tweaking font sizes than figuring out why people aren’t converting — that’s the problem.
Ask youself:
Does this page make sense to someone who’s never heard of us?
Can someone figure out what we do in under 10 seconds?
Is the next step obvious?
Are we actually saying something, or just filling space?
Final thought
You don’t need another redesign. You need better structure, sharper content, and design that leads the way.
If your website doesn’t work, stop tweaking. Start fixing.