Design systems seem to be due to oversupply of designers and frontend engineers in the tech industry. You get enough of them together in a company and there’s not enough for them to work on. So a design system is hatched so that they can work on things that never get used!

I jest somewhat but I do feel a design system is an “org smell” for all but the largest engineering organizations. My estimate is that you don’t need that unless you have 4 digit engineer count. Smaller companies with design systems usually are putting the cart before the pony, so to speak.