Visual Draft-to-Code Handoff Checklist

Product boundary checked October 29, 2026

Anthropic describes Claude Design as a way to create visual work and package a design into a handoff bundle for Claude Code. Current availability and controls depend on the plan, organization settings and the interface in your account.

Official references:

• Introducing Claude Design
• Get started with Claude Design

This guide provides a safe test workflow. It does not claim that your account, repository or export path has been tested.

1. Lock the source content

Start with a short, approved content brief.

CONTENT BRIEF

Audience:
Decision or action:
Headline:
Three verified facts:
1.
2.
3.
Required action:
Owner:
Deadline:
Source for each figure:
Wording that must stay exact:
Unknowns:
Content that must not appear:

Give this brief a version and date. Keep a copy outside the design so you can compare later.

2. Create the visual draft

Create a clear visual version of the approved CONTENT BRIEF.

Requirements:
- preserve the meaning of every fact, figure, decision and action;
- do not add claims, statistics, testimonials or urgency;
- make the decision and required action easy to find;
- use the supplied wording exactly where marked;
- mark missing information instead of inventing it;
- keep the first version simple enough to review quickly.

Before styling, restate the audience, decision, three facts and required action. Wait for confirmation if any item is unclear.

[PASTE CONTENT BRIEF]

3. Review before handoff

### Content

• □ The audience and purpose are correct.
• □ All 3 facts match the source brief.
• □ Figures, units, labels and dates are unchanged.
• □ The decision and action are visible.
• □ Unknowns remain marked.
• □ No unsupported claim was added.

### Visual use

• □ The reading order is clear.
• □ Important text is readable at the intended size.
• □ Colour is not the only way meaning is conveyed.
• □ The layout works with realistic content length.
• □ The design includes required states, such as empty, error or narrow-screen views, when relevant.

4. Prepare the handoff

Use the handoff option available in your Claude Design interface. Save the bundle or instruction with a clear version name.

Record:

HANDOFF RECORD

Project:
Content brief version:
Design version:
Handoff bundle or location:
Target repository and branch:
Files or components allowed to change:
Files or content that must not change:
Required checks:
Human approver:

Do not give a code tool access to a live repository until the intended repository, branch and allowed scope are clear.

5. Ask for one bounded change

Start small so you can test the workflow.

Use the supplied Claude Design handoff to implement one bounded change in the approved target project:

[DESCRIBE ONE CHANGE]

Before editing:
- inspect the project instructions and existing component;
- identify the files you expect to change;
- compare the handoff content with CONTENT BRIEF version [VERSION];
- report any wording, figure or state that conflicts;
- propose the implementation plan and wait for approval.

During implementation:
- preserve the approved wording and figures;
- do not expand the scope;
- reuse existing project patterns where appropriate.

After implementation:
- list changed files;
- run the agreed checks;
- show the result for human review;
- do not publish, merge or deploy without separate approval.

6. Worked fictional example

Approved content

Audience: Operations director
Decision: Extend the Northstar pilot for two weeks or stop
Facts: 18 invited; 14 completed; 3 needed follow-up
Action: Decide by Thursday at 4:00 p.m.
Unknown: Time saved has not been measured

Bounded implementation request: Add a responsive decision-summary card to an internal prototype page.

Content failure to catch: the design changes “14 completed” to “78% success” and adds “faster onboarding.” The percentage loses the denominator and “faster” is unsupported.

Correct response: retain “14 of 18 completed,” state that time saved was not measured and implement only after the corrected design is approved.

7. Compare design, code and source

Also check keyboard use, focus order, contrast, narrow-screen layout, links and any interactive state required by the project.

Final approval

• □ The implemented result matches the current approved content brief.
• □ The intended design is represented accurately.
• □ All agreed technical checks passed.
• □ A human reviewed the real implementation.
• □ Publishing, merging and deployment remain separate approvals.

The rule to keep: Carry the design forward, but keep the approved content as the source of truth.