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Style guides are shared by global UX agencies throughout the project, not at one single moment, because the guide grows in stages alongside the design work itself. Sharing begins right after discovery with a short foundation note, continues through early design, pre-development, reviews, and testing rounds, then closes with the complete handover version and supported updates after launch. Buyers comparing UX agencies around the world often expect one delivery date, yet each project phase produces its own guide version for its own purpose. Early versions align direction, middle versions support builders, and final versions transfer lasting ownership. The seven sharing times below follow the full timeline in order, showing what arrives at each point and what a buyer should check before accepting it.
after discovery – Style guides after discovery take the shape of a short foundation note, documenting agreed brand direction, tone, and visual references once discovery sessions end. Nothing here is a full guide yet, but this record becomes the base that every later version builds on. Buyers should confirm the note matches what stakeholders actually said during discovery, since corrections cost minutes now and weeks later.
during early design – Style guides during early design arrive as starter versions within the opening weeks, holding colour decisions, typography choices, spacing logic, and two or three core components. Purpose is alignment before volume, because dozens of screens will soon sit on these foundations. A buyer receiving nothing at this stage should ask why, as skipped starter guides often mean reworked foundations later at the buyer’s expense.
before development – Style guides are applied before development, just as engineers prepare to build. This version documents the components development touches first, with hover, disabled, and loading states written out rather than guessed. Handing builders an undocumented design forces interpretation, and interpretation creates inconsistency. Buyers should confirm this version exists before any build sprint opens.
at reviews – Style guides at reviews arrive as working versions at each scheduled checkpoint, usually when major journeys reach testing. Component states, interaction rules, form patterns, and error handling all appear with usage notes attached. Buyers should verify one thing at every review: that the guide matches the screens delivered so far. Drift between the two creates silent rework, while synchronised versions show real discipline.
after testing – Style guides after testing capture every change the testing rounds produced. Patterns that failed with users get revised, and the guide updates to match within days of each round. An agency leaving the guide untouched after major test findings signals documentation falling behind reality. Buyers can ask directly which guide entries changed after each round.
at handover – -Style guides at handover arrive complete, and this version belongs to the buyer permanently. Every component appears with all states, accessibility notes, responsive behaviour, and naming conventions matching the delivered files. Acceptance deserves a formal check, open ten random screens and confirm each element appears in the guide, then verify contract ownership language covers the document itself.
after launch – Style guides after launch continue as updated versions only under a support agreement. New features add components, live behaviour reveals adjustments, and maintained documentation tracks the evolving product. Nothing arrives here without support terms, so companies planning heavy post-launch development should raise guide maintenance during contract talks rather than months afterwards.
Style guides move through these seven sharing points: discovery notes, starter rules, pre-build documentation, review versions, post-testing updates, complete handover, and supported maintenance. Buyers who know the full sequence request the right version at every phase, and the guide finally serves the product across its whole life instead of one project moment.
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