OpenClassrooms' design system, Classify, was created to establish a unified language between designers and developers. Built on the principles of consistency, efficiency, collaboration, and improved user experience, it provides a single source of truth for components, tokens, and guidelines. By enabling teams to reuse scalable components, Classify reduces time-to-market and improves quality across the platform. Today, it supports contributors from design, engineering, brand, and marketing, ensuring cohesive experiences across digital products. More than just a library, Classify is a collaborative framework that empowers teams to focus on solving user problems while maintaining alignment and scalability.

Classify is governed through a hybrid model that balances clear ownership with open contributions. A core team ensures governance, coherence, and quality, while designers and developers across the organization actively contribute components, bug fixes, and improvements. This structure avoids bottlenecks and encourages shared ownership.

Collaboration is fostered through open communication, dedicated support, and integration into daily workflows. Designers and developers co-create from early design reviews to final delivery, supported by peer reviews, documentation, and active communication channels. A custom-built Figma plugin bridges the gap between design and development, automating key tasks like token management and quality checks, dramatically reducing back-and-forth.

Education is embedded into the strategy: new joiners receive personal onboarding, workshops promote cross-role learning, and ongoing sessions ensure alignment on best practices. This shared learning culture enables teams to speak the same language and collaborate effectively. As a result, contributions remain high-quality, systemic issues are addressed early, and the design system continuously evolves with collective input.

Classify has become the collaborative backbone of OpenClassrooms. With over 180 components and hundreds of yearly contributions, it has transformed how designers and developers work together. Thanks to standardized components and governance, teams save significant time — a landing page that once required 30 effort points now takes less than 8. The custom Figma plugin further streamlined workflows, reducing errors and accelerating quality assurance. Designers and developers, once siloed, now co-create seamlessly, with fewer conflicts and faster delivery. The impact is clear: higher quality outputs, improved trust across teams, and a culture of shared ownership and collaboration.