You don't need to have a constrained design system to have a consistent product. Flexibility is not always the enemy. In fact, an inflexible design system is often less desirable to use.
Design systems should enable real problem-solving, rather than just restricting creativity [[Yesenia Perez-Cruz - Scenario-Driven Design Systems]]. Often the way to increase consistency is by instilling a culture, rather than constraint. Constraints are sometimes seen as a trust issue - you don't trust your users to do the right thing when they have options.
Designers and engineers aligned towards a singular goal enables you to create a flexible design system that enables innovation without lowering consistency.
Consistent output comes from organizations that are culturally consistent—aligned on values and principles
There's a scale between 'configuration' and 'customisation': https://engineering.atspotify.com/2021/04/customization-vs-configuration-in-evolving-design-systems/
[[20210908155508-flexibility-components]] [[20221202114400-design-system-consistency]] [[20231219094041-design-system-complexity]]