Do MCPs care more about patterns or components?

Live recording of the fortnightly podcast Design Systems WTF (back for season two!), where Luke Murphy and Michelle Chin attempt to combat all the amazing wtf in design systems. In each episode, they answer a single question around design system troubles with a Q&A from the live audience.

Now we're in the business of creating context for AI (ew), what is actually important when we're creating documentation that will be used by machines AND humans? Are detailed component guidelines important? Are the foundations essential to get right? Or can we rely on top-level patterns and vague guidance?

Show notes

• How LLMs use MCPs to read your design system and how to write prompts that work with that
• Product Deep Dive Webinar: MCP, vibe coding, and your design system
• PDF of A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander et al.
• Google Prompting Essentials course on Coursera
• Marketing Against the Grain podcast
• AI and Design Systems course with Brad Frost, Ian Frost and TJ Pitre
• TJ Pitre on LinkedIn
• Dom Nguyen on LinkedIn
• Sil Bormüller on LinkedIn