When I first started working on design systems, I didn't know where to start. Googling "what is a design system" only got me so far!
While I wish I could just download all of the information in my brain into yours, I can't (yet). Until then, this checklist is designed to guide your research.
This checklist contains a lot of information. I know it can feel overwhelming. Don't worry if some of the items on the list don't make sense yet. You should expect to work through this checklist over the course of months and years––not days.
I've bolded keywords to make topics easier to search. I've also linked to resources I've found helpful or written over the years. I have italicized topics you don't need to address immediately.
I hope this checklist has been helpful. If you've found anything confusing about this subject, send me a DM on Twitter @MCapoz and I'll do my best to answer your question!