Design System is a collection of reusable Components, build using Atomicity and Sub-atomic Design Tokens particles that follow the guideline, behave consistently, and together work as the building block of the product. A design system is not a pattern library or a sticker sheet. Atoms being consistent or similar in a design system won’t make the final result compatible.
It requires a clear, documented guideline on behaviour and usage patterns. Usage patterns, organisms, and templates make the system scalable Design is Scaling. It follows Lego-like structure but does come with some themes and rules. The combinations are not unlimited. Consider the design system as the single source of truth that groups all the elements that will allow the teams to design, realise and develop a product.
Start with Scorecards to Pilot Design System Migration instead of over planning and underachieving.