A snowflake is a one-off, bespoke component or visual variation created for a single edge case without considering systemic reuse. Over time, snowflakes cause component drift, where slight deviations accumulate until the product feels disjointed and inconsistent.
Snowflakes typically occur when:
Pro Tip: When a squad needs a new variant, encourage them to ask: 'Does this solve a unique user need across multiple flows, or is it visual preference for one screen?'
Level 1 · Understanding Design Systems