Design Developer Handoff That Preserves Intent
Design Systems & Tokens · handoff
Updated 2026-07-28
- A design is not complete when it looks right. It must communicate how it behaves.
- Document:
- States.
- Spacing rules.
- Motion behavior.
- Responsive changes.
- Provide:
- Component names.
- Token references.
- Interaction examples.
- Explain decisions:
- Why this pattern exists.
- When to reuse it.
- When not to use it.
- Avoid handing over screenshots alone:
- Screenshots show appearance.
- Systems explain behavior.
- Great handoff creates alignment between design and engineering.
Related guides
UX Handbook