Maintain clear versioning of design files to ensure developers are always working from the latest source of truth.
Without version control, design files become a chaotic mess of "final_v2", "final_final", and "final_for_real_this_time". A clear versioning strategy ensures everyone is working from the same file, prevents lost work, and provides a historical record of design decisions.
Simulate a basic branching workflow to understand how design versions diverge and converge.
Status: On Main branch. Ready to work.
Save your work with descriptive messages (e.g., "feat: add user profile modal"). This creates a clear history.
Create branches for new features or explorations to work safely without affecting the main design file.
Once a feature is approved, merge the branch back into the main file to update the source of truth.
Move old explorations or rejected designs to a separate "Archive" page to keep the main file clean.
The main branch should always represent the current live product.
Name branches clearly (e.g., "feature/user-onboarding" or "fix/login-bug").
Commit your work frequently to avoid losing progress.