Spoiler: It’s not another file named “logo-final-FINAL-v3.png”
Let’s get this out of the way: we love good design. We love when something is beautiful and functional. But sometimes, in the rush to create something visually compelling, the final design handoff leaves developers… well, scrambling.
If you’ve ever worked with a developer and been surprised at how long it took to “just build the site,” it probably wasn’t the code. It was the gaps.
So let’s talk about what we actually need from designers to bring their vision to life—without guesswork, wasted time, or a dozen zooms and email follow-ups.
File Names Matter (A Lot)
Imagine opening a folder with 47 files named logo.png. That’s what many developers deal with regularly. We get it—different designers and branding studios have their own internal systems for file naming. And that’s fine! But what matters most is that the files you send to your developer are clear, specific, and usable.
Ideally, we want to know three things right away:
- Who it’s for (the client or brand)
- What it is (logo, icon, header, etc.)
- Any relevant details (size, usage, color variant)
When files are clearly named with size, context, or usage, they’re instantly usable. When they’re all called “final,” “revised,” or “export,” we’re playing a game of “what even is this?”
Naming files this way helps us keep everything organized on our end. Especially when we’re juggling multiple projects or referencing assets weeks later. If everything’s called logo.png or FINAL-export-v2.png, it’s a lot harder to keep things clean and consistent in the build.
Fonts, Colors, Specs—Please Send Them
Got a gorgeous PDF? Great. But if you’re not including font names, weights, sizes, color hex codes, and spacing guidelines, we’re left guessing. And while we can guess, we’d rather spend that time actually building your site.
Think of it like this: if you wanted the walls painted blue, but didn’t say which blue, would you be happy if we guessed sky when you wanted navy?
Tell Us What Things Do
If something looks like a button… should it be a button? Apparently not always, for some reason.
Design tools like Figma are incredible, but they don’t tell us intent. If you want a section to scroll, expand, animate, or link—annotate it. Add notes. Draw arrows. Write it in a shared doc. Anything that tells us what’s supposed to happen.
When we see shapes and layers with no explanation, we have to guess what’s interactive and what’s decorative. And here’s the kicker:
If a developer can’t intuitively guess what an element is supposed to do, your users probably can’t either.
From a usability perspective, ambiguity in design usually translates to confusion in the final product. Clear handoff communication = better functionality and better user experience.
Map the Links
If something needs to connect to something else (menu item → page, image → external link, CTA → form), just say so.
This might seem obvious, but it’s one of the most frequent causes of post-launch revisions. A simple map or even a quick bulleted list will save hours
Flexability
While we are also believers in stretching, here we’re talking about the simple reality of responsive web.
Ever since Ethan Marcotte invented responsive design way back 14-15 years ago, websites have been fluid. One randomly selected client has had users visit their site on 431 different screen sizes in the last month alone.
The point is – web is not print.
And while our goal is to deliver what you designed, the fact is, elements move around. Text re-flows and can change size. Very few web layouts are pixel perfect exactly the same all the time no matter what. And trying to build sites that exactly match one specific design file like that is slow, and very very very expensive. And almost all of the time, absolutely not worth it.
Respect the Timeline: Dev Takes Time Too
Here’s the truth: development should take just as long as design—maybe more. If your design timeline is 4 weeks, expect at least 4–5 weeks for proper development.
Why? Because implementation, testing, responsiveness, accessibility, performance, and functionality all require careful attention. Rushing development is how you get broken layouts, clunky interactions, and frustrated clients.
TL;DR: Designers, We Love You. Help Us Love You Faster.
The goal is collaboration, not conflict. The smoother the handoff, the better the final product. And trust us, your vision is way more powerful when it actually works the way you imagined.
So the next time you deliver assets to a developer, think like a dev:
- Are my files clear and usable?
- Do they explain what things do?
- Is everything labeled and specced properly?
- Are we cool with the design/layout changing on different screen sizes and platforms?
- Did I give them enough time?
Small changes on your end = massive improvements in dev efficiency.
And if you’re not sure what we need? Just ask. We’re not scary (unless you send us another logo-final2.png, then we might be).
Want to send this to your favorite designer? Go for it. We’re here for better collaboration, cleaner launches, and fewer headaches—for everyone involved.
Coming soon: What designers wish developers knew. ‘Cause they don’t know it all!