A good Figma-to-WordPress handoff explains more than how the finished desktop page should look. The developer needs to know which elements repeat, what editors can change, how layouts respond, how interactions behave, which states exist, and what counts as an acceptable implementation.

AxiomLift’s white label WordPress development page covers project-based WordPress delivery. Use this checklist when your agency supplies the design and another team handles the build.

1. Confirm design status

Before development begins:

  • Sitemap is approved.
  • Required templates are identified.
  • Designs are marked approved, draft, or awaiting client review.
  • Mobile/responsive expectations are available.
  • Content is real, representative, or clearly placeholder.
  • Functionality not visible in static designs is documented.

Do not call a design “final” if major navigation, content, or functional decisions are still open.

2. Create a component inventory

Developers need to know whether similar-looking sections are the same component or separate designs.

List components such as:

  • header
  • mega menu/mobile menu
  • buttons
  • cards
  • testimonial block if real content exists
  • service grids
  • CTA sections
  • forms
  • accordions
  • tabs
  • pricing tables
  • blog cards
  • footer

For each, show relevant variants and states.

3. Document design tokens

A design system does not need to be complicated, but repeated values should be intentional.

Specify:

  • color palette
  • type scale
  • line heights
  • spacing scale
  • container widths
  • border radii
  • shadows if used
  • button sizes
  • breakpoints or responsive behavior

This helps the WordPress build remain consistent when new pages are assembled later.

4. Explain responsive behavior, not only mobile screenshots

A desktop frame and a mobile frame leave a large gap in between.

For each complex section, note:

  • when columns stack
  • whether card order changes
  • whether navigation becomes a drawer
  • whether tables scroll
  • image crop behavior
  • minimum/maximum text widths
  • how CTA buttons wrap or stack
  • what happens to decorative elements

The goal is a fluid layout, not a collection of designs for a few exact widths.

5. Define WordPress editability

Decide which content belongs in the editor.

For every template or component, ask:

  • Can the heading be edited?
  • Can cards be added/removed?
  • Is image alt text editable?
  • Are links selectable?
  • Can editors reorder sections?
  • Should a field have character guidance?
  • Which layout decisions should remain controlled to protect design quality?

Do not make every visual setting editable simply because WordPress can. Too much freedom can make the site harder to maintain.

6. Specify content types and relationships

If the site has blogs, case studies, team members, locations, products, or other repeated content, define the data model.

For example:

Blog post might need title, description, date, category, body, canonical settings, and related posts.

Location might need address, phone, hours, map data, services, and location-specific content.

The developer should not have to infer content architecture from repeated design frames.

7. Provide interaction states

Static designs often miss:

  • hover
  • focus
  • active
  • disabled
  • expanded/collapsed
  • error
  • success
  • loading
  • empty states

For accessibility, keyboard focus should not be an afterthought. Menus, accordions, forms, and buttons need behavior that works beyond mouse hover.

8. Hand over assets in production-ready form

Provide:

  • logos and brand marks
  • SVG/icon sources where appropriate
  • photos with usage rights
  • illustration sources if needed
  • font licensing information
  • favicon/app icons if designed
  • image crop guidance

Avoid making the developer export final production assets from random screenshots or presentation files.

9. Define form behavior

For every form, specify:

  • fields
  • required fields
  • labels
  • validation behavior
  • success destination/message
  • email or CRM destination
  • spam protection
  • privacy/consent needs
  • file upload limits if applicable
  • analytics events if required

A form design without submission behavior is incomplete.

10. Include technical SEO requirements in the build brief

At minimum, decide who is responsible for:

  • editable title/meta fields
  • canonical output
  • robots controls
  • sitemap
  • redirects
  • breadcrumbs
  • structured data where appropriate
  • indexability rules
  • heading semantics
  • image alt text

The design itself does not guarantee these implementation details.

11. Define QA and browser/device coverage

Before launch, verify:

  • major templates
  • navigation and nested menus
  • forms
  • responsive behavior
  • CMS editing
  • internal links
  • keyboard navigation
  • focus states
  • image loading
  • metadata
  • analytics/tracking
  • 404 behavior

The agency and developer should agree who signs off each category.

12. Plan ownership and handoff

Document:

  • repository ownership
  • WordPress admin users
  • hosting
  • DNS
  • plugin/theme licenses
  • backups
  • analytics
  • staging
  • deployment process
  • maintenance after launch

A project build is different from recurring care. The WordPress development vs maintenance guide explains where that responsibility changes.

For broader project closeout, use the website handoff checklist.

Research sources

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