Move Design System + Accessibility to upstream-studios/design-expression

- [Frequently Used Projects](/handbook/engineering/projects/)

- [GitLab Innovation Program](/handbook/legal/patent-program/), managed by the GitLab Legal Team

- [Mentorship](/handbook/people-group/learning-and-development/mentor/)

- [Pajamas Design System](/handbook/product/ux/pajamas-design-system/)

- [Pajamas Design System](/handbook/upstream-studios/design-expression/design-system/)

- [R&D Tax Credit Applications](/handbook/engineering/tax-credits)

### Workflows

[`design.gitlab.com`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-services/design.gitlab.com) or [`gitlab-svgs`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-svgs)

- Understand [how to become a maintainer](/handbook/product/ux/pajamas-design-system/design-review/#how-to-become-a-maintainer).

- Understand [how to become a maintainer](/handbook/upstream-studios/design-expression/design-system/design-review/#how-to-become-a-maintainer).

- All designers are maintainers of [`gitlab-design`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-design) project. If you are interested in becoming a Maintainer of UI (`.scss`) for `gitlab`, and `gitlab-ui` projects, please follow the [Engineering Review Workflow](/handbook/engineering/workflow/code-review).

- It is up to you to ensure that you are getting enough MRs to review, and of varied types. You could also seek out more reviews from your team, for example by asking for reviews on the `#upstream-studios` and `#g_pajamas-design-system` Slack channels. If you are not receiving enough MRs to advance in your training, be proactive and work on your own improvements to Pajamas. This will demonstrate overall understanding of the product, as well as quality contributions, and help propel your progress. Maintainers are available to help guide you.

- Your reviews should aim to cover maintainer responsibilities as well as reviewer responsibilities. Design Maintainers should be focused on MRs that have an impact on usability, iterate on existing user experience, and/or include usage of design guidelines, standards, and patterns. Your approval means you think it is ready to merge.

Where GitLab's design language is imagined, refined, and made real. We explore what brand could feel like at its best, then codify what works into the Design System the rest of the org builds on. One language that carries the brand on every surface: product, marketing, web. We own the core design infrastructure, hold the bar on accessibility, and build the front-end craft that brings it to life.

[Learn more about Design Expression →](https://design.gitlab.com/)

[Learn more about Design Expression →](/handbook/upstream-studios/design-expression/)

### Experience Research

---

title: "Design Expression"

description: "Design Expression is where GitLab's design language is imagined, refined, and made real - from visual foundations to the system that powers every product surface."

---

## What we do

- **Shape the design language** - We define the visual vocabulary, motion, and ambient experience that give GitLab its identity across product, marketing, and web.

- **Build and maintain the Design System** - The [Pajamas Design System](https://design.gitlab.com/) is our shared foundation: tokens, components, patterns, and guidance that enable teams to build cohesive, accessible, high-quality experiences at scale.

- **Own accessibility** - We make the GitLab product and Pajamas Design System more accessible for everyone, partnering with designers and engineers across the organization.

## Our disciplines

- **[Design System](/handbook/upstream-studios/design-expression/design-system/)** - The Pajamas Design System: shared tokens, components, patterns, and guidance for building the GitLab product experience.

- **[Accessibility](/handbook/upstream-studios/design-expression/accessibility/)** - Making the GitLab product and Pajamas Design System more accessible for our users.