Dec 23, 2025·Systems·ESSAY
The Missing Middle of Design Systems
Between atoms and pages, there’s a layer most teams never design.
The Missing Middle of Design Systems
Most design systems collapse under scale, not because they lack components, but because they lack structure.
Teams obsess over atoms and pages. Buttons. Inputs. Layouts. Then entire screens.
What’s missing is the **middle**.
The Gap Nobody Names
The middle layer is where intent lives:
It’s not atomic. It’s not a page. It’s reusable *meaning*.
Why Systems Fail at Scale
When the middle is missing:
The system becomes a museum, not a tool.
Designing the Middle
The middle answers questions like:
These are not components. They’re **decisions**.
The Payoff
When the middle exists:
You don’t scale components. You scale patterns.
The missing middle is where systems become products.