Shows
On Theme: Design Systems in Depth2025 Predictions Recap with Noelle LansfordMy very first minisode of the entire podcast was some 2025 predictions, and a lot has changed. (Honestly, what was I thinking trying to make predictions in the era of AI? fml) Noelle Lansford joined me for Season Two's official first episode to recap my 2025 predictions with me and look back on the trends and themes we saw in design-systems-land last year.Stay tuned for part two where we dive in to our 2026 predictions!📲 Send me a text!Support the show
2026-02-0941 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthOn Theme S1 Minisode 4: Converge conference 2025 RecapI'm back from Zeroheight's Converge conference in Bristol, UK, with my recap and thoughts. In this minisode, find out my three major themes from the event: reducing complexity, shifting towards code to design, and the narratives "framing our future". Resources & Links:Zeroheight's Converge3 practical ways LLMs can support design systems teams today, on the Zeroheight blogFrom Promises to Practice: the Future of Design Systems, my talk at Converge (video coming soon)John Voss's talk Framing the Future (coming soon)US Section 174 R&D Tax explained📲 Send me a text!Su...
2025-11-1030 minOn Theme: Design Systems in DepthOn Theme S1 Minisode 3: This summer's AI vibe shift and conference news!Surprise minisode! In this quick episode, hear a few ways AI tools are useful for design systems now, my new favorite design-eng handoff tool, and three can't-miss industry events this fall.📲 Send me a text!Support the show
2025-09-2119 min
Patterns PodcastDSP 136. Are Design Systems Still for People? A Conversation with Elyse HolladaySend us feedback or episode suggestions.In this episode, Chris Strahl talks with Elyse Holladay—staff design engineer at Color Health and host of On Theme—about the evolution of design systems and how AI is reshaping the way we think about abstraction, collaboration, and contribution. They explore what it means to maintain relevance in a landscape where LLMs increasingly influence product development, and reflect on whether design systems are still for people—or for machines. Elyse shares a clear-eyed yet optimistic take on how AI can enhance, rather than replace, the work of design system practitioners.K...
2025-07-2245 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthCreativity and design system leadership in the age of AI, with Natalya Shelburne — #17Chat, this is the last episode of season one! Thank you for listening and supporting the show! There's no better way to wrap up, IMO, than an optimistic and curious exploration of what it means to be a creative human in an increasingly technological world.So to wrap up season one, Natalya Shelburne joins me to explore how design leaders can cultivate creativity in an era of rapid technological and organizational change. Drawing from her degree and research in creativity, Natalya shares insights on fostering innovation, overcoming fear-driven management styles, and why embracing artistic thinking is essential...
2025-05-1258 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthBut "design systems as infrastructure" is boring, with Sam Anderson — #16Y’all, I’ll be honest. Some days, I’m scared and nervous and uncomfortable with AI’s emergence, and implications, too. But I am also curiously optimistic, and more importantly — I don’t want to use any platform I have to spread even more fear and discontent and drama. So today you’re getting a dose of two things that I love: infrastructure and optimism.Drawing from his experience leading design systems at three very large orgs, Sam Anderson from Intuit shares how framing design systems as infrastructure can help them be recognized as essential to business succe...
2025-05-0547 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthNaming is hard, but have you tried working with people? with Guy Segal — #15Guy Segal joins Elyse to unpack the messy, complicated world of… people. Guy shares practical strategies from his experience at Thomson Reuters, including the powerful "pre-mortem" exercise he used to rebuild trust and alignment for the design system. They get vulnerable and unpack why (as cliche as it sounds!) genuine listening, storytelling, learning to give and receive feedback, and actively engaging with product teams, is so much more impactful than relying solely on processes or artifacts. Plus, Guy shares why he hated it at first when product teams started using the name of the design system.Li...
2025-04-281h 05
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthThe Four Quadrants of Design System Impact, with Ben Callahan — #14Ben Callahan joins Elyse for a fun conversation on creating impact with design systems. Ben shares insights from his consulting experience, discussing common pitfalls like organizations expecting a design system without adequately supporting their teams. They break down the "Four Quadrants of Design System Impact" framework, which breaks down tactical versus strategic work, helping teams avoid pitfalls like endless component creation. Plus, hear Ben’s predictions for the future of design systemsLinks & ReferencesBen Callahan on LinkedInThe QuestionRedwoods, Ben's community supporting design system practitionersBen's post on The Four Quadrants and Why you’re NOT...
2025-04-211h 13
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthShipping new ways of working to a classic organization with the One UPS system, with Marcela Rodriguez Joos — #13Marcela Rodriguez Joos shares the story behind the One UPS project, a massive effort to modernize and unify UPS’ brand and digital experiences through a new design system. Marcela reveals how a “why does everything look different?” moment from their CEO was the catalyst for this ambitious effort, how they’re collaborating across a massive org, and successfully reducing development timelines from years down to months. Plus, Marcela’s team dishes out their design system spice takes!Links & ReferencesMarcela Rodriguez Joos on LinkedInMarcela on the Into Design Systems Connect your Design Sys...
2025-04-1454 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthThe flaws of the “accessibility is built in to the design system” argument, with Daniel Henderson-Ede — #12Ever had a team come to you after an a11y audit like, "but I used the design system, why does my product have accessibility defects??" Daniel Henderson-Ede, one of design systems' leading accessibility voices, joins me on the show today to unpack a spicy myth in design systems: that accessibility can be fully "built-in." Daniel walks us through the common pitfalls of overselling accessibility, how teams often mistakenly assume the system handles everything, and we explore the challenges and missteps of managing accessibility.📋 Plus, check out Daniel's Systems-Accessibility Ownership Matrix resource that you can use on...
2025-04-0738 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthHelp, I'm starting a new design system job! with Amy Ogg — #11This one’s a little bit different than some of the projects and topics that we've had on the podcast so far — we’re talking about starting a new role. I think it's one of the hardest things that we do sometimes as design system practitioners, because the design system is really about changing your organization, changing the way we build UI, and so there's a lot of weight on your shoulders when you come into a new role.Starting a new job as a design system practitioner can feel exciting and terrifying all at once—but Amy Ogg...
2025-03-3159 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthHand off the API: a design & build workflow for components, with Jeff Pelletier — #10Design systems aren’t just about components—they’re about how teams work together to build better UI. Jeff Pelletier, a frontend engineer with a design background, joins the show to talk about feature workflows for design systems, how design and engineering can work in parallel, and why documentation should be part of the process, not an afterthought. Jeff and Elyse dive into how to create API-first component specs, the challenge of design-code parity, and the ~drama~ of having a formal process.💖 On Theme is a brand new podcast, so if you like what you're hearing, please hi...
2025-03-2450 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthBye Purple! A redesign powered by local & global design system layers at Spotify, with Smith Schwartz & Tyce Clee — #09Spotify’s ad platform just got a serious glow-up, and Smith and Tyce are here to tell us how they pulled it off. Smith Schwartz, Product Design Manager, and Tyce Clee, Engineering Manager, walk us through the redesign of Spotify Ads Manager—why it was needed, how they used design systems to make it happen, and what it took to get buy-in. Smith and Tyce tell us about the shift from a playful UI to a more data-dense, enterprise-friendly experience, how their local design system worked alongside Spotify’s global Encore system, and why storytelling (not just metrics) is key to...
2025-03-1756 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthWhat happens when your system can’t support your flagship product?, with Adriana Morales — #08Adriana Morales from HEB (aka the best grocery store) poses a tricky question for the show: what happens when your design system can't support all your products, or your flagship product? Hashtag enterprise organization problems. Adriana and I explore some of the scenarios where this might occur, the "system of systems" concept, product team autonomy, and pace layers. Don't miss Adriana's explanation of her "ways of working" workshops and thoughts on creating empathy across your org.💖 On Theme is a brand new podcast, so if you like what you're hearing, please hit subscribe and sign up at...
2025-03-1057 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthI’m a design system consumer now: lessons from the other side, with Beau Ulrey — #07I invited Beau to the podcast because of his great Medium articles on design systems... but he's not working on a system team right now! Beau shares his experiences on both sides of the—fence? aisle?—and the lessons he's taken away. We chat about the tradeoffs of building for speed vs stability, bringing new designs for AI products into the system, onboarding, cross-team empathy, and why we're always complaining about the other side. Plus, find out what Beau wanted to be when he grew up.💖 On Theme is a brand new podcast, so if you like wh...
2025-03-0343 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthBuilding a multi-brand joint venture design system for BetMGM, with ToniAnn Drenckhahn — #06ToniAnn joins the show to share her experience building a multi-brand design system for BetMGM and Entain's joint venture. This episode is our first project deep dive and it's full of legacy codebases, lessons learned, and big wins. ToniAnn talks to us about dealing with ambiguity, owning your decisions, and keeping leadership on board as you ship a system that changes the way your business works—and your partners businesses, too.💖 On Theme is a brand new podcast, so if you like what you're hearing, please hit subscribe and sign up at designsystemsontheme.com...
2025-02-241h 02
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthStop waiting for permission! and other ways to show design systems value, with Brian Alfaro — #05If the way we're building design systems has a fatal flaw, it's "waiting for enough investment to get it right." In this episode, Brian teaches us to not wait for permission and how your product teams' success is your success. Brian reminds us how important it is to remember that we're all on the same team, building the same product—and why internal politics and storytelling matters way more than components. Plus, why design systems are like toilets (not a Dad joke, I promise) and why Brian and I think "measuring the system is hard" is a be...
2025-02-1742 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthAll the things you shouldn’t do for design system success, with Dan Mall — #04I'm thrilled to have the one and only Dan Mall on the show, and in this episode, we get deep into all the things you maybe don't want to do if you want your design system to be successful. Dan shares his experiences with failed design systems, one very failed attempt at pitching a system to leadership, why he thinks design systems should be specific not generic and maybe... not include foundations? Plus, we talk about useless documentation, what's next for systems, and THE spiciest take on tokens.(Honestly, there are so many 🌶️ Spicy Takes™️ in this ep...
2025-02-1054 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthLayoffs, rebrands, and getting "zero results" from your design system, with Noelle Lansford — #03You can't talk about design systems lately without addressing the elephant in the room: layoffs. Noelle walks us through her experience of multiple layoffs in one year, why 2023 was so different than 2020, and how the success criteria of design systems correlated with team layoffs. We discuss the bogeyman of "getting zero results from your design system" and what Noelle was hearing from business leadership about that, and how storytelling might matter more than metrics. Plus, a very spicy take on ~the rebrand~, and why at least one company was hiring for someone to delete their design system 😱...
2025-02-0358 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthWhen Design Systems became A Thing with Jina Anne — #02Jina Anne gives us a history of the journey from early style guides to widespread industry adoption of design systems, and the challenges and successes. We explore how tokens came to be, how it feels when the engineering team just starts using your work before it's ready, the separation of HTML/CSS/JS concerns, and how ClarityConf got started. Plus, the origin of the phrase "design systems" (maybe?), and what the NASA Graphic Standards Manual has to do with ClarityConf. 💖 On Theme is a brand new podcast, so if you like what you're hearing, plea...
2025-01-2754 min
Design DowntimeElyse Holladay Loves SewingGrab your fabric and pick your favourite stitch, as Elyse Holladay joins us to talk about her adventures with sewing. She recounts being inspired by her mother sewing and her own experiences running a personal style program, and how frustrations with ill-fitting off-the-rack clothing got her to take up the hobby. Elyse reflects on the highs and lows of learning the craft, from her initial overconfidence after sewing a tote bag to grappling with failed projects, and her breakthrough with a simple yet satisfying project, which became a stylish staple and a symbol of her progress. Along the way...
2025-01-2332 min
On Theme: Design Systems in DepthEfficiency, respect, and the origins of design systems with Brad Frost — #01Brad Frost takes us back in time to the early days of design systems, and walks us through some of the significant moments of evolution from style guides to modern design systems. We dig in to the multiple proto-Storybook-esque projects, the original problem of sharing UI patterns, what React did, and Brad's personal moment of "oh, it's called design systems now." Plus, a bonus podcast throwback from the Style Guides Podcast feat. Dave Rupert and some early proto-Storybook madness.💖 On Theme is a brand new podcast, so if you like what you're hearing, please hit...
2025-01-2043 minOn Theme: Design Systems in DepthOn Theme S1 Minisode 2: 2025 PredictionsElyse shares five predictions for design systems in 2025 and beyond in the second pre-season minisode. Text the show to share your thoughts and predictions and maybe even be featured in a future minisode!Early Bird tickets are available until January 15th for Into Design System's excellent annual virtual conference, featuring Nathan Curtis, Romina Kavcic, Cintia Romero, and more. Get your tickets now before prices go up at intodesignsystems.com/ontheme📲 Send me a text!Support the show
2025-01-0618 minOn Theme: Design Systems in DepthOn Theme S1 Minisode 1Are design systems in the trough of disillusionment? Elyse explores the past decade of design systems and what we're missing in this pre-season one minisode. 📲 Send me a text!Support the show
2024-12-1213 min2024-10-2402 min
Clotheshorse with Amanda Lee McCartyEpisode 143: In Pursuit of Wardrobe Ease with ElyseAmanda is joined by Elyse Holladay, a personal style coach and creator of The Unfolding, a personal style development program designed to help you define your authentic personal style, learn to shop strategically, and find wardrobe ease. They will talk about why it's never "just clothes" and how to break down the obstacles preventing you from finding true clothing happiness. It turns out that feeling confident in yourself and what you wear is part of a more sustainable lifestyle! Also: small business audio essays from Megan of Hard Times Collective and Lydia of Country Feedback.Follow Elyse on In...
2022-11-072h 15
Conscious Style Podcast47) How to Cultivate a Healthier Relationship to Shopping | with Jessica HarumiWhen we think about slow fashion, there's a lot of tactical advice out there and this is all important and vital to talk about. But a long-term sustainable approach to conscious fashion goes beyond the actions we see at the surface and involves creating a new mindset around what we buy and own.In today's conversation, I am going to be chatting with slow fashion content creator Jessica Harumi about: How we can identify when we have an unhealthy relationship to shoppingHow we can start to create a healthier relationship to shopping and fashionHow we can s...
2022-06-2141 min
Conscious Style Podcast34) The Power of Style, Shifting Consumption Habits, and Building a Values-Based Business with Elyse HolladayWhat is the difference between stylists and style coaches? Today on the podcast we are going to learn a bit more about style coaching with personal style coach, Elyse Holladay.Elyse is on a mission to help women transform their relationship with clothes and show up fully as their authentic selves.In this episode, Elyse is going to talk about:The power of style — and why that power has been so underestimatedWhat personal style coaching is all aboutThe importance of habits, why it's so challenging to shift consumption behaviors, and how we can start to...
2022-02-1558 min
Behind Their Business16. Working Through Feelings of Self-Trust, Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome With Elyse HolladayHow often do you experience self-trust, self-doubt, and “imposter syndrome”? Is it hindering you from starting or moving forward in your business? If so, maybe you need a shift in your perspective of these things and how to differentiate between the three. In this episode, you'll hear from Personal Style Coach Elyse Holladay. She shares with us her perspective on “imposter syndrome and how she differentiates between that, self-trust and self-doubt. She also shares her journey and the fears she experienced in becoming a Personal Style Coach. The way Elyse has defined imposter syndrome has allowed her to overcome the doub...
2022-01-1048 min
Conjuring Up CourageUsing Personal Style as a Path to Discovering Personal Values with Elyse Holladay | #82Style Coach Elyse Holladay joined me to chat about how the clothes we wear reflect far more than just aesthetics. We talked about why people often feel like they have plenty of clothes but nothing to wear, the ways in which personal style and personal values are tied together, how to make your clothes work for you, and more. You can find the show notes and a full transcript of this episode at https://shohrehdavoodi.com/82. Get full access to The Queer Agenda at shohrehdavoodi.substack.com/subscribe
2021-01-2645 min
Non Breaking Space ShowElyse Holladay — SassConf and Other Nerdy ThingsThis episode we have Elyse Holladay. Elyse’s been at Sass Summit and also a local Austenite—very glad to get a chance to talk to her today. We talked about organizing a physical conference, how she got into the web, of course, passion for work, and diversity in conferences, new speakers, a lot of topics.
This episode of Non Breaking Space Show is sponsored by:
Feed.Press
2015-10-291h 10
Non Breaking Space ShowElyse Holladay — SassConf and Other Nerdy Things
This episode we have Elyse Holladay. Elyse’s been at Sass Summit and also a local Austenite—very glad to get a chance to talk to her today. We talked about organizing a physical conference, how she got into the web, of course, passion for work, and diversity in conferences, new speakers, a lot of topics.
This episode of Non Breaking Space Show is sponsored by:
Transistor.fm
2015-10-2900 min