Design token architecture brief
Design a token model that carries shared design decisions clearly across themes, components, tools, and platforms.
Design systems · 45 min · Advanced · 29 questions
Layers
Which token layers does the system need?
Which token layers may reference one another?
Which decisions belong at component level?
Naming
How should tokens be named?
Should a token name state the property it controls?
How should a token name express its role?
How should a token name express interaction state?
How will names avoid encoding current values?
References
How should token aliases resolve?
How will the system prevent circular references?
Which tokens need fallback values?
How will teams see the impact of changing a token?
Modes
Which variations should be modeled as modes?
Which variations should be separate themes instead?
Types and units
Which token types are allowed?
Which units are allowed for dimensions?
Which values may be stored as composite tokens?
A composite token groups related values such as a shadow or typography style.
Platform outputs
How will source tokens reach the web?
How will source tokens reach iOS?
How will source tokens reach Android?
How will source tokens reach design tools?
How will tokens appear in documentation?
Validation and governance
Which schema checks run before release?
How will naming rules be checked?
How will broken references be detected?
Which token combinations need contrast checks?
How will breaking changes be identified?
How can teams add or request tokens?
Who approves new tokens?
How to use this brief
Use this brief as a bank of questions for the conversation. Choose what is relevant, mark covered questions as you go, and skip anything that has already been answered.
Use this brief when...
Use when you need to design a token model that carries shared design decisions clearly across themes, components, tools, and platforms.
Best used as: Live call · Async intake
- Category
- Design systems
- Discussion time
- 45 minutes
- Depth
- Advanced
- Last updated
- Jul 21, 2026
- Scope
- Design briefs
- Best used as
- Live callAsync intake
- Design roles
- Design systems designer
- Audience
- Design leadsProduct designersUX and UI designers
- Platforms
- Design toolsWebiOSAndroid
- Company type
- B2BB2CEnterprise
- Product stage
- GrowthMature product
- Tags
- design-systemsdesign-token-architecturesystems-and-platformstoken-modelcross-platform-architecture