Designmanualer

Designmanualer are comprehensive reference documents that describe the visual and interaction standards an organization applies across products and communications. They function as a single source of truth for branding, user interfaces, and content, ensuring consistency and quality in both digital and print outputs. The term is common in Scandinavian contexts and can be translated as design manuals or brand guidelines.

Typically, designmanualer include sections on brand identity (logo usage, color palette, typography), layout and grids, imagery and iconography, and writing style. For digital products, they may also specify UI components, interaction patterns, accessibility requirements, responsive behavior, motion guidelines, and design tokens. Some organizations combine them with a broader design system, while others keep them as standalone documents.

Purpose-wise, designmanualer aim to streamline design work, maintain brand coherence, improve usability, and speed development by providing clear rules for designers, developers, marketers, and partners. They help ensure a consistent look and feel across channels and regions, and support accessibility and inclusivity in design decisions.

Creation and governance are typically handled by branding and design teams, sometimes with input from communications, legal, or procurement. Designmanualer are usually living documents with version control, defined approval processes, and designated distribution channels. Updates are communicated to stakeholders and may appear in internal wikis, shared libraries, or design system platforms.

In practice, a well-maintained designmanual can reduce ambiguity and rework, supporting scalable product development. It is often complemented by a design system and component library to enable consistent, accessible, and efficient design and development at scale.