A design audit is an analysis of all the visual elements used by an organisation. The goal of a design audit is consistency but, in the early stages, you are looking for inconsistencies.
Before you start, try and get a copy of every visual asset you can get your hands on. The more you can get the better; leave no stone unturned.
Examples might include
- Existing style guides
- Is there a style guide?
- Original design concepts versus what is currently live
- How far has the design been allowed to deviate?
- What is the governance?
- Website pages – from all your websites
- Is the navigation consistent?
- Is the logo consistent?
- Is the overall user design / user experience consistent?
- Are all the icons / photos in the same style?
- Does the website work properly on mobile devices?
- Is the content consistent and accurate?
- Is the website optimised for search engines?
- Company logos and how / where they are used
- Marketing campaigns and their associated assets
- Have they been successful?
- Have external design agencies followed the guidelines
- Advertising campaigns
- Social media content
Document all the inconsistencies and prioritise how bad the problems are.
Don’t forget to analyse your competitors or organisations you admire.
Look at everything, document everything and then put everything together in a report that you can create an action plan from.