Chris Terterian

About

Senior Product Designer in Los Angeles, specializing in design systems and designing with AI.

I design systems: the tokens, components, and documentation that let a team move fast without the product slowly coming apart.

I started in web design in 2017, and I still build what I design. I work in Figma and in code, so the system I hand off is the one that actually ships. That's where I think most design systems break down. Not in the design file, but in the gap between the design file and the product.

AI has changed who is on the other side of that gap. Coding tools now write a large share of production code, including most of mine, and they start from zero on every task. The design system is the context they build from. So I design for two audiences: people, who need clear guidance, and AI tools, which need clear rules and automated checks that catch them when they drift.

I care about three things. A system is only worth building if people use it. Results should be reported honestly. And a few components done right beat a big library nobody opens.

Current Experience

Logan Hollowell Jewelry

Senior Product Designer

2024 — Present

A design system is the context AI builds from. If the system is vague, the code will be too.

AI tools start from zero on every task. The design system is how they stop guessing.

I design for two audiences now: people who need clear guidance, and AI tools that need clear rules.

Most design systems don't break in Figma. They break in the gap between the design file and the product.

A few components done right will do more for AI and people than a big library nobody opens.

Building a design system, or getting one ready for AI?

I'd like to hear what you're working on.

Get in touch