Make the approved identity easy to find
Start with the approved logo arrangements and a clear explanation of their intended uses. Show the main version, any supporting arrangements and the options for light or dark backgrounds. Identify which files people should use for common tasks.
A folder of unexplained variations leaves the next person to guess. A short, well-organized guide can make the choice easier, particularly when the person preparing a presentation or sending artwork to a supplier was not part of the original design process.
Document the rules that protect the design
Include clear space, minimum sizes and examples of suitable placement. Show common mistakes in context: stretched proportions, unsuitable backgrounds or an arrangement that becomes unreadable when reduced.
Established identity systems document these kinds of rules. IBM’s published logo guidance, for example, describes clear-space and size relationships for its own mark. The rules for your identity should be developed from your artwork and applications.
Bring color, type and imagery into one system
Record the approved colors and the values relevant to the intended production methods. Describe the role of each color so an accent does not become the background for every document. Include readable examples with the typography.
Specify the typefaces, hierarchy and practical alternatives your team may need. Add image direction: subject matter, composition, treatment and the relationship between images and text. Mozilla’s public design system offers an example of documenting brand themes, typography and color together.
Show how the identity behaves in use
Demonstrate the decisions on relevant materials. For one business, that may mean product packaging and a wholesale presentation. For another, it may be a website, uniforms, social content and a video closing scene.
Use examples that resolve real questions. Show how a headline sits beside the mark, how supporting information is organized and which logo arrangement fits a narrow or vertical space. These applications help turn abstract rules into something a team can use.
Give the guide an owner and a working life
Keep the current version in an agreed location and identify who approves changes. When new applications introduce a useful pattern, decide whether it belongs in the guide. A dated, maintained document makes it easier to distinguish a current decision from an abandoned draft.
You can flip through the supplied brand-book examples to see complete identity presentations. For your own project, choose the level of documentation around the people who will use it and the decisions they need to make.
Further reading
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