# Manage Design Handoff

> Structure the product-to-design and design-to-engineering handoff process and iteration workflows. Use this skill when a team needs to improve collaboration quality at handoff points.

- Skill: `alexe-ev/manage-design-handoff` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 4 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add alexe-ev/manage-design-handoff`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/alexe-ev/manage-design-handoff/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Research & Search
- Author: alexe-ev (https://skillmd.com/u/alexe-ev)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/alexe-ev/manage-design-handoff

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# Manage Design Handoff

## Purpose
Help teams structure clean, efficient handoffs between product, design, and engineering that reduce rework and misalignment.

## Skill type
Conceptual skill

## Use this skill when
- Engineering is building things that don't match the design intent
- Design is handed off without clear context or requirements
- Iteration cycles are slow because feedback loops are unclear
- A new team is establishing handoff norms

## Do not use this skill when
- The goal is usability testing (use run-usability-testing)
- Requirements haven't been written yet (use write-requirements-prd first)

## Required inputs
- Feature or flow being handed off
- Teams involved (product, design, engineering)

## Optional inputs
- Existing handoff process or tools
- Known pain points in current handoff
- Design files or prototype links

## Upstream context
Works best when:
- Requirements are defined
- Design work is complete or in progress

## Downstream handoff
Output can feed:
- plan-delivery-collaboration (delivery plan accounts for handoff checkpoints)

## Instructions
1. Define what a "complete" design handoff looks like for this context.
2. Identify what documentation and assets must be included.
3. Define the review and sign-off process.
4. Establish iteration and feedback loop protocols.
5. Identify common handoff failure modes and mitigations.
6. Produce a handoff checklist.

## Output
Provide:
- Handoff readiness criteria (what must be done before handoff)
- Required artifacts (specs, annotations, assets)
- Review and sign-off process
- Iteration protocol (how feedback goes back to design)
- Handoff checklist
- Common failure modes and mitigations

## Risks / caveats
- Handoff is a two-way process — engineering must confirm understanding, not just receive files
- Incomplete handoffs create expensive rework cycles
- Tooling matters less than clear norms and checkpoints