Brand Training and Onboarding, Done Properly
Teaching employees and partners how to use the brand, beyond handing over a guidelines document.
Priya Raghunathan
At a glance
- Onboarding new staff need brand context early
- Practical examples people learn from correct and incorrect examples
- Access assets must be easy to find
- Refreshers brands evolve and training must follow
Why it matters
Why it matters: Guidelines are only followed when people understand them, and training reduces the volume of off-brand work.
Best practice
- Include brand training in onboarding
- Show real examples of good and poor use
- Make assets easy to find and use
- Offer short refreshers after changes
- Give teams a place to ask questions
Common pitfalls
Watch out for:
- Sending a guidelines file and assuming compliance
- Training only the design team
- Assets locked away from the people who need them
- One-off training with no follow-up
When to call in a specialist
Bottom line Bring in help when off-brand materials keep appearing.
Where this comes from
- Interaction Design Foundation — Brand strategy
- Figma Help Center — Guide to libraries
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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Where to go next
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