Skills
skills/opendndapps/ogt-skills/ogt-docs-define-branding

ogt-docs-define-branding

SKILL.md

OGT Docs - Define Branding

Complete guide for creating brand definition documents.

Overview

Brand definitions establish how your product looks, sounds, and feels across all touchpoints. They ensure consistent brand expression from website to emails to product UI.

mindmap
  root((Brand<br/>Definitions))
    Visual Identity
      Logo
      Colors
      Typography
      Imagery
      Iconography
    Voice & Tone
      Brand voice
      Tone variations
      Writing style
      Vocabulary
    Guidelines
      Usage rules
      Do's and Don'ts
      Templates
      Examples
    Assets
      Logo files
      Color codes
      Font files
      Templates

When to Use This Skill

Use ogt-docs-define-branding when:

  • Establishing brand identity for a new product
  • Documenting existing brand guidelines
  • Creating brand consistency rules
  • Defining voice and tone
  • Organizing brand assets

Folder Structure

docs/definitions/branding/
├── visual_identity/
│   ├── definition.md           # Visual identity overview
│   ├── logo/
│   │   ├── definition.md       # Logo usage rules
│   │   ├── variations.md       # Logo variations
│   │   ├── clearspace.md       # Clear space requirements
│   │   └── misuse.md           # What NOT to do
│   ├── colors/
│   │   ├── definition.md       # Color system overview
│   │   ├── primary.md          # Primary palette
│   │   ├── secondary.md        # Secondary palette
│   │   ├── semantic.md         # Semantic colors
│   │   └── accessibility.md    # Color accessibility
│   ├── typography/
│   │   ├── definition.md       # Type system overview
│   │   ├── typefaces.md        # Font families
│   │   ├── scale.md            # Type scale
│   │   └── usage.md            # When to use what
│   ├── imagery/
│   │   ├── definition.md       # Image style
│   │   ├── photography.md      # Photo guidelines
│   │   ├── illustration.md     # Illustration style
│   │   └── icons.md            # Iconography
│   └── .version
│
├── voice_and_tone/
│   ├── definition.md           # Voice overview
│   ├── brand_voice.md          # Core voice attributes
│   ├── tone_spectrum.md        # Tone variations
│   ├── writing_style.md        # Writing guidelines
│   ├── vocabulary.md           # Words we use/avoid
│   └── .version
│
├── brand_guidelines/
│   ├── definition.md           # Guidelines overview
│   ├── usage_rules.md          # General rules
│   ├── applications/           # Application examples
│   │   ├── website.md
│   │   ├── email.md
│   │   ├── social.md
│   │   ├── product_ui.md
│   │   └── print.md
│   └── .version
│
└── assets/
    ├── definition.md           # Asset inventory
    ├── logo_files.md           # Logo file locations
    ├── font_files.md           # Font file locations
    ├── templates.md            # Template locations
    └── .version

Brand Definition Types

1. Visual Identity

Defines how your brand looks.

Example: visual_identity/colors/

colors/
├── definition.md
├── primary.md
├── secondary.md
├── semantic.md
└── accessibility.md

definition.md

# Definition: Color System

## Overview

The {Product} color system is designed for clarity, accessibility, and
brand recognition. Our palette balances vibrant brand colors with
functional UI colors.

## Color Philosophy

- **Bold but accessible**: Colors meet WCAG AA standards
- **Consistent**: Same colors across all touchpoints
- **Purposeful**: Each color has a specific role
- **Dark-mode ready**: Colors work in both light and dark themes

## Palette Overview

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ PRIMARY │ │ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ │ │ │ Primary │ │ Primary │ │ Primary │ │ │ │ 500 │ │ 600 │ │ 700 │ │ │ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ SECONDARY │ │ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ │ │ │Secondary│ │ Accent │ │ │ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ SEMANTIC │ │ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ │ │ │ Success │ │ Warning │ │ Error │ │ Info │ │ │ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ NEUTRAL │ │ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ │ │ │50 │ │100│ │200│ │300│ │400│ │500│ │600│ │700│ │800│ │ │ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘


## Related Documents
- [Primary Colors](./primary.md)
- [Secondary Colors](./secondary.md)
- [Semantic Colors](./semantic.md)
- [Accessibility](./accessibility.md)

primary.md

# Primary Colors

## Brand Primary

The primary color is the most recognizable element of our visual identity.
Use it for primary actions, key UI elements, and brand moments.

### Primary Blue

| Token         | Hex     | RGB           | HSL            | Usage           |
| ------------- | ------- | ------------- | -------------- | --------------- |
| `primary-50`  | #EFF6FF | 239, 246, 255 | 214, 100%, 97% | Backgrounds     |
| `primary-100` | #DBEAFE | 219, 234, 254 | 214, 95%, 93%  | Hover states    |
| `primary-200` | #BFDBFE | 191, 219, 254 | 213, 97%, 87%  | Borders         |
| `primary-300` | #93C5FD | 147, 197, 253 | 212, 96%, 78%  | Disabled        |
| `primary-400` | #60A5FA | 96, 165, 250  | 213, 94%, 68%  | Links           |
| `primary-500` | #3B82F6 | 59, 130, 246  | 217, 91%, 60%  | **Primary**     |
| `primary-600` | #2563EB | 37, 99, 235   | 221, 83%, 53%  | Hover           |
| `primary-700` | #1D4ED8 | 29, 78, 216   | 224, 76%, 48%  | Pressed         |
| `primary-800` | #1E40AF | 30, 64, 175   | 226, 71%, 40%  | Dark mode       |
| `primary-900` | #1E3A8A | 30, 58, 138   | 224, 64%, 33%  | Dark mode hover |

### Usage Guidelines

#### Do

- Use `primary-500` for primary buttons
- Use `primary-600` for button hover states
- Use `primary-100` for highlighted backgrounds
- Use `primary-400` for links on white backgrounds

#### Don't

- Don't use primary colors for error states
- Don't use primary-500 on primary backgrounds (contrast)
- Don't modify primary colors with opacity
- Don't use more than 2 primary shades in one component

### CSS Variables

```css
:root {
  --color-primary-50: #eff6ff;
  --color-primary-100: #dbeafe;
  --color-primary-200: #bfdbfe;
  --color-primary-300: #93c5fd;
  --color-primary-400: #60a5fa;
  --color-primary-500: #3b82f6;
  --color-primary-600: #2563eb;
  --color-primary-700: #1d4ed8;
  --color-primary-800: #1e40af;
  --color-primary-900: #1e3a8a;
}
```

Tailwind Config

colors: {
  primary: {
    50: '#EFF6FF',
    100: '#DBEAFE',
    // ... etc
  }
}


#### accessibility.md

```markdown
# Color Accessibility

## WCAG Requirements

### AA Compliance (Required)
- Normal text: 4.5:1 contrast ratio
- Large text (18pt+): 3:1 contrast ratio
- UI components: 3:1 contrast ratio

### AAA Compliance (Recommended)
- Normal text: 7:1 contrast ratio
- Large text: 4.5:1 contrast ratio

## Contrast Matrix

### On White (#FFFFFF)

| Color | Hex | Ratio | Small Text | Large Text |
|-------|-----|-------|------------|------------|
| primary-500 | #3B82F6 | 3.1:1 | ❌ | ✅ |
| primary-600 | #2563EB | 4.5:1 | ✅ | ✅ |
| primary-700 | #1D4ED8 | 5.8:1 | ✅ | ✅ |
| gray-600 | #4B5563 | 5.9:1 | ✅ | ✅ |
| gray-700 | #374151 | 8.6:1 | ✅ | ✅ |

### On Primary-500 (#3B82F6)

| Color | Hex | Ratio | Small Text | Large Text |
|-------|-----|-------|------------|------------|
| white | #FFFFFF | 3.1:1 | ❌ | ✅ |
| primary-50 | #EFF6FF | 2.8:1 | ❌ | ❌ |

**Note**: Use white text on primary-600+ for AA compliance.

## Color Blindness Considerations

### Safe Combinations
- Blue + Orange (distinguishable in all types)
- Blue + Yellow
- Purple + Yellow

### Avoid Relying On
- Red vs Green alone (use icons/text)
- Subtle shade differences for meaning

### Testing Tools
- Figma: Color Blind plugin
- Chrome: DevTools → Rendering → Emulate vision deficiencies
- Online: Coblis, Color Oracle

2. Voice and Tone

Defines how your brand sounds.

Example: voice_and_tone/

voice_and_tone/
├── definition.md
├── brand_voice.md
├── tone_spectrum.md
├── writing_style.md
└── vocabulary.md

brand_voice.md

# Brand Voice

## Voice Attributes

Our voice has four core attributes that should come through in all communications.

### 1. Clear

We explain complex things simply. No jargon, no buzzwords, no fluff.

**Do**: "Your deploy finished in 3 seconds."
**Don't**: "Leveraging our proprietary pipeline optimization, your deployment has been successfully processed."

### 2. Confident

We know our product is good. We state things directly without hedging.

**Do**: "The fastest way to ship."
**Don't**: "We believe we might be one of the faster options available."

### 3. Helpful

We're here to help you succeed, not to show off. We anticipate questions.

**Do**: "Deploys failed? Here's how to fix the 3 most common issues."
**Don't**: "Deploy failed. Check the logs."

### 4. Human

We're people talking to people. Warm, not robotic. Personality allowed.

**Do**: "Nice work! Your site is live."
**Don't**: "Deployment successful. Status: Active."

## Voice Spectrum

├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ MORE SERIOUS MORE PLAYFUL │ │ ◆─────────────────────●─────────────────────────────◆ │ │ Legal, Security Marketing, Docs Social, Success │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ MORE FORMAL MORE CASUAL │ │ ◆────────────●──────────────────────────────────────◆ │ │ Enterprise General Community │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤


## Voice by Context

| Context | Clarity | Confidence | Helpfulness | Human |
|---------|---------|------------|-------------|-------|
| Marketing | High | Very High | Medium | High |
| Documentation | Very High | High | Very High | Medium |
| Error Messages | Very High | Medium | Very High | Medium |
| Success Messages | High | High | Medium | Very High |
| Legal/Security | Very High | Very High | High | Low |
| Social Media | High | Medium | Medium | Very High |

vocabulary.md

# Vocabulary Guide

## Words We Use

### Product Terms

| Concept     | We Say          | We Don't Say               |
| ----------- | --------------- | -------------------------- |
| Publishing  | Deploy, Ship    | Push, Release, Publish     |
| Users       | You, Developers | Users, Customers           |
| Our product | {Product}       | The platform, The solution |
| Projects    | Projects        | Apps, Applications, Sites  |
| Teams       | Teams           | Organizations, Workspaces  |

### Technical Terms

| Concept  | We Say               | We Don't Say          |
| -------- | -------------------- | --------------------- |
| Speed    | Fast, Quick, Instant | Performant, Optimized |
| Problems | Issues, Problems     | Errors, Failures      |
| Fix      | Fix, Resolve         | Remediate, Address    |
| Start    | Start, Begin         | Initialize, Commence  |

### Action Words

| We Say      | We Don't Say     |
| ----------- | ---------------- |
| Get started | Sign up now      |
| Learn more  | Click here       |
| Try it free | Start free trial |
| See how     | Discover         |

## Words We Avoid

### Corporate Jargon

- Leverage
- Synergy
- Paradigm
- Disrupt
- Revolutionary
- Best-in-class
- World-class
- Cutting-edge

### Hedge Words

- Might
- Maybe
- Possibly
- We think
- We believe

### Complexity

- Utilize (use "use")
- Implement (use "add", "set up")
- Functionality (use "features")
- Capabilities (use "features", "can")

## Inclusive Language

### Gender

- Use "they/them" for unknown individuals
- Avoid "guys" → use "everyone", "folks", "team"
- Avoid gendered roles → "developer" not "dev guy"

### Ability

- Avoid "simply", "easily", "just" (implies difficulty is user's fault)
- Use "select" not "click" (works for keyboard users too)
- Describe actions, not mechanisms

### Global

- Avoid US-centric references
- Use international date formats in docs
- Don't assume timezone

3. Brand Guidelines

Defines usage rules and applications.

Example: brand_guidelines/applications/product_ui.md

# Brand in Product UI

## Overview

The product UI is where users spend the most time with our brand.
Consistency here builds trust and familiarity.

## Logo Usage in Product

### Header/Navigation

- Use logomark only (no wordmark)
- Size: 32px height
- Color: Primary on light, White on dark

### Loading/Empty States

- Use logomark with subtle animation
- Max size: 48px

### Favicon

- Use simplified logomark
- Sizes: 16px, 32px, 180px (Apple touch)

## Colors in Product

### Light Theme

| Element        | Color Token | Hex     |
| -------------- | ----------- | ------- |
| Background     | neutral-50  | #F9FAFB |
| Surface        | white       | #FFFFFF |
| Border         | neutral-200 | #E5E7EB |
| Text primary   | neutral-900 | #111827 |
| Text secondary | neutral-600 | #4B5563 |
| Primary action | primary-600 | #2563EB |

### Dark Theme

| Element        | Color Token | Hex     |
| -------------- | ----------- | ------- |
| Background     | neutral-900 | #111827 |
| Surface        | neutral-800 | #1F2937 |
| Border         | neutral-700 | #374151 |
| Text primary   | neutral-50  | #F9FAFB |
| Text secondary | neutral-400 | #9CA3AF |
| Primary action | primary-500 | #3B82F6 |

## Typography in Product

### Font Stack

```css
font-family:
  "Inter",
  -apple-system,
  BlinkMacSystemFont,
  "Segoe UI",
  Roboto,
  Oxygen,
  Ubuntu,
  sans-serif;
```

Type Scale

Size Use
12px Captions, labels
14px Body text, inputs
16px Emphasis, subheads
20px Section headers
24px Page titles

Voice in Product

Success Messages

Tone: Celebratory but brief

Do: "Deployed! Your changes are live." Don't: "Deployment completed successfully."

Error Messages

Tone: Helpful and clear

Do: "Couldn't deploy. The build failed on line 42 of index.js." Don't: "Error: BUILD_FAILED"

Empty States

Tone: Encouraging and actionable

Do: "No projects yet. Create your first project to get started." Don't: "No data."

Confirmation Dialogs

Tone: Clear about consequences

Do: "Delete this project? This can't be undone." Don't: "Are you sure you want to proceed with deletion?"


---

## Signal Files for Brand Definitions

| Signal | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| `.draft` | In progress |
| `.approved` | Approved by brand/design |
| `.approved_by_design` | Design lead approved |
| `.approved_by_founder` | Founder approved (major changes) |
| `.version` | Schema version |
| `.last_updated` | Last significant update |

---

## Quality Checklist

Before requesting review:

- [ ] All color values include Hex, RGB, and HSL
- [ ] Typography includes web-safe fallbacks
- [ ] Accessibility requirements met (WCAG AA)
- [ ] Do/Don't examples for every guideline
- [ ] Dark mode considerations included
- [ ] Asset file locations documented
- [ ] Voice examples cover all major contexts
- [ ] Vocabulary lists are comprehensive
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