BUILD A HANDOFF SYSTEM
A scalable handoff is a shared language: - Component library + variants - Design tokens (spacing, color, typography) - Naming conventions for layers/components - Spec format: behaviors, states, edge cases If every feature needs a long call, the system is missing.
WHAT TO SPECIFY (MINIMUM SET)
For each component/flow: - States: default, hover, focus, disabled, loading, error, empty - Responsive rules (breakpoints + layout changes) - Content rules (truncation, wrapping, min/max) - Interactions (keyboard, shortcuts, validation) - Analytics events (what to track) This reduces ambiguity and prevents UI “almost matches” bugs.
ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA THAT PREVENT REGRESSIONS
Write acceptance criteria in plain language: - “User can submit with keyboard only.” - “Error message appears under field and explains how to fix.” - “Primary CTA stays visible on mobile.” Pair it with a short QA checklist so PM/QA can verify without asking designers.
WORKFLOW: KEEP IT FAST
A clean workflow: - Design reviews happen at component level - Engineers confirm constraints early - Designers provide edge cases as soon as flow is locked - One source of truth for tokens and components The best handoff feels boring—because it’s predictable.
