Design systems were already trendy 70 years ago

In the design team at Mercadona Tech, we have different meetings or sessions that repeat weekly—not only to stay aligned and ensure the quality of our products, but especially to foster a design culture within the team.

It was in one of these sessions where David de la Iglesia told us about the work that Hans Gugelot, designer and professor at the Ulm School of Design, did for Braun; particularly about the Radio phono audiotape modular system, a project he developed in 1957 that would later be produced by Dieter Rams' team.

It was a modular radio system, based on components that shared the same style and production rules, generating different results when combined in various ways.

So, can we consider that this system designed 70 years ago was already a design system?

I believe the answer to this question goes hand in hand with how we view our profession. We can think that digital product design is something completely new and different; however, we also have the option of seeing it as the evolution of a profession with an extensive and rich history.