45-design-tool-brief-global

name	45-design-tool-brief-global
description	Use when a designer needs hands-on production direction inside a tool — Canva, Figma, or Adobe Express: which template to start from, the operating order, element-by-element mapping, grid and spacing, brand kit colors and fonts, export checklist, and the dos and do-nots. Trigger on 'Canva brief', 'Figma brief', 'production direction', 'how do I build this in Canva', 'layout direction for the designer', 'the junior designer needs step by step'. Not for — the creative concept for a static, see `42-image-brief-global`; the concept for a slide sequence, see `43-carousel-brief-global`; the brand rules being applied, see `46-brand-guideline-global`; adapting one master into every size, see `50-asset-resize-global`.
metadata	{"version":"1.0.1","category":"operations"}
license	MIT
triggers	["design tool brief","Canva brief","Figma brief","production direction","layout direction","template direction","how do I build this in Canva"]
output	File .md — full production direction: base template, brand system quick reference, element-by-element direction, export checklist. The designer opens the tool and executes on brand.
related	["product-marketing-context-global","41-campaign-asset-list-global","42-image-brief-global","43-carousel-brief-global","46-brand-guideline-global","47-design-review-global","50-asset-resize-global"]

Design Tool Brief (Global)

A good production brief means the designer opens the right template, uses the right elements, and never hunts around. Colors, fonts, and logos come from the brand kit inside the tool or from the brand guideline (46-brand-guideline-global) — never chosen ad hoc.

This skill is tool-agnostic. The workflow is the same in Canva, Figma, or Adobe Express — only the terminology differs (Canva Brand Kit / Figma styles and variables / Adobe Express brand). State which tool the team uses at the top of the brief.

Information gathering

Read the brand guideline and the originating brief (42-image-brief-global or 43-carousel-brief-global) if available. If information is missing, ask up to 4 questions:

1. Design type, tool, and canvas size? Post, story, carousel, presentation, or email banner — in which tool, at how many pixels?
2. Where does the designer start? New file from blank, edit an existing template, or duplicate a previous design (link)?
3. Is the content ready? Is the copy approved, and how many variants or sizes are needed?
4. Deadline and approver?

Principles

1. No fonts or colors outside the brand kit unless the lead approves in writing.
2. No AI-generated imagery in brand content without approval — use real photography or pre-approved stock.
3. Share a view or comment link before exporting. Do not export first and ask for approval after.
4. Any change after the first approval requires a new approval.
5. Never leave a file named "Untitled design" — apply the naming convention from the start.
6. Set up the brand kit before designing: load the palette from the brand guideline, add [heading font] and [body font], and save every logo version.

Workflow

1. Identify the base

State exactly where the designer starts: a link to a brand template, a blank canvas at the correct size, or a duplicate of a specific previous design.

2. Follow the standard operating order

Step	Action
1	Open or create the canvas at the exact channel size (see 50-asset-resize-global)
2	Set the background to [background color] or [light background color] per the brand guideline