About
The HarvardSites Design System supports thousands of University websites with shared, reliable solutions.
It provides a consistent set of components, visual systems, and standards that keep sites accessible, branded, and usable as they grow and change.
What the Design System enables
Content that scales over time
The system keeps content usable and consistent as sites grow, change, and evolve.
Fewer custom decisions
Shared solutions reduce the need for one-off design and interaction decisions.
Consistent quality by default
The system improves quality and consistency across sites without requiring manual oversight.
Accessible by default
The system builds accessibility into components and patterns so sites meet requirements without extra effort.
What this means for site owners
The system handles complex design decisions for you
You don’t need to choose colors, design layouts, or evaluate accessibility from scratch. Tested patterns and built-in guardrails let you focus on your content, audience, and goals.
As your site grows or changes, the system keeps new content consistent, accessible, and usable across devices.
Why the Design System is intentionally constrained
The Design System is intentionally constrained.
By limiting choices around layout, typography, color, and component behavior, the system reduces complexity while supporting consistency and accessibility. These constraints prevent common design and usability issues and make sites easier to maintain over time.
How the Design System reduces risk and cost
Shared components, visual systems, and accessibility standards prevent common issues that lead to costly rework, inconsistent branding, and accessibility failures. Teams no longer need to solve the same design and interaction problems repeatedly or rely on custom solutions that are difficult to maintain.
How the Design System works
The Design System is built in layers that work together.
Visual systems allow controlled variation, while components and standards provide consistent structure and behavior.
Foundations of the Design System
The Design System builds on a shared set of principles, standards, and guidelines that guide how sites are designed and maintained across HarvardSites.
These foundations ensure that sites meet accessibility requirements, follow University branding and policy, and provide consistent experiences for users.
Where the system comes from
Harvard Web Publishing develops and maintains the HarvardSites Design System to support the University’s web publishing platforms, including HarvardSites.
The system reflects University requirements for accessibility, branding, and policy, as well as industry best practices for usability and inclusive design. Ongoing research, platform constraints, and feedback from site builders across Harvard inform its evolution.
This work keeps the Design System practical, relevant, and aligned with the needs of both site builders and users.
Evolving the system
The Design System evolves alongside the platforms and sites it supports.
As requirements change and new needs emerge, the team reviews and updates the system to remain accessible, scalable, and aligned with University standards. Feedback from site builders and stakeholders informs these improvements.