Understanding the Design Brief

Able to understand why a design brief is critical to the design process

Explain the purpose of a design brief

The design brief is one of the essential parts of the design process. Starting a project without one would be a bit like proceeding to build a house without a blueprint. Although it may be possible to do, you may finish the house and then realize that you should have put your door elsewhere. Or you might have to spend valuable time and resources to tear up the newly-finished hardwood floor to run the water lines to the downstairs bathroom which you had not been informed about earlier.
What is it?

A design brief is a document outlining the business objectives and corresponding design strategies for a project. It gets the design wheels rolling and helps the designer think strategically about design solutions. It also encourages the client (you) to process and clarify what they need from the project, who it is being done for (target audience), and who the key stake-holders are. The design brief must also address the competition, current industry trends, time-line, budget and measurement of success.

A design brief should primarily focus on the outcomes and the business objectives and should not attempt to deal with the aesthetic details of design… That is the responsibility of the designer. You are paying for the designer’s ideas, so the brief should not be used to tell the designer what to do. Instead, it should clarify what the project needs to achieve, so the designer can explore ideas.
How does a design brief relate to a marketing plan or strategy?

You could think of your marketing strategy as the set of rules that direct your marketing activities. Then, based on these rules, you will develop a marketing plan. The marketing plan is simply a way to focus on one or more marketing objectives.

A successful design brief, then, will inevitably be informed by your marketing plan. For example, if one of the objectives in your marketing plan is to target a specific age-group (say, teenagers), this should be clearly stated in your design brief. The designer will then use this information to propose design ideas that are coherent with your marketing plan.

If you do not have a marketing strategy, get one! There are plenty of marketing groups that would love to help you out. I know, I know… the price tag is usually pretty high – but it’s worth the investment. If you are running a new business and are not at that point yet, maybe you know someone who has experience in marketing who would be able to help you set some short-term goals. Sometimes it takes a considerable amount of time to conduct good marketing research, conduct focus groups, do SWOT analysis, develop a marketing strategy, etc., so don’t let that keep you from moving ahead with your short-term goals. In the mean time, as you conduct the necessary marketing work, it is important that your company continues to present itself professionally to your current customers. So, sorry… not having a marketing strategy is no excuse for not filling out the design brief!

Which projects require a design brief?

Ninety percent of the time, completing a design brief is worth the time and effort. Even if the job is not complex, thinking through some of the tough questions helps bring clarity and focus to the project. There are, of course, some cases in which it may not be necessary. A few examples might be: you want to reprint your business cards or letterhead, you would like to add a plug-in or extend the functionality of your website, you need to make a very minor tweak to your brochure before reprinting. If you have any doubts about whether or not you should fill it out, don’t hesitate to ask.

Ultimately, the design brief is your responsibility (the client). Your designer can only be as good as the brief he/she works from, so it’s in your best interest to provide one that is well-crafted. Some designers may choose to proceed without one if the client is not interested, but this is certainly not the best scenario for either the designer or the client and there is high chance of wasting time and energy. So, take the time to craft a design brief whenever possible. And remember… every minute you invest in the design brief is probably equal to three minutes saved in tweaking or re-working things later.

Outline the type of information you would expect to find in a design brief

What does a design brief look like?

Design briefs can take on various forms. Some designers provide a template to help you get started. But many clients may have their own templates that they prefer using. I provide a web-based form that can be used to as a tool for creating/submitting an initial brief. But regardless of the tool you use, here are a few qualities that all briefs have in common:
Brief (that’s why it’s called a brief!) – no longer than 2 or 3 pages.
Easy to read – Content subdivided into various sections with clearly-defined headings, use of short bullet points instead of narrative text
Easy to print – Standard size (for example, US Letter or European A4)
Easy to share – Created in a way that it can be sent electronically to others collaborating on the project (ie, not hand-written or engraved on stone tablets! :0)
Simple and well-organized
What content should be included?

There are many valid opinions out there about what should go in your brief and how you should organize it. Below are a few components I think are important to include in some form or other (not necessarily in that order). You may also refer to my Design Brief Form for an example of what kind of info to include and how to organize it.
Your name and company
Project name
Short description (summary) of project
Description of your business
Project goals and objectives
Target audience
Things you are providing the designer with (photos, website screen shots, diagrams, etc.)
Project specifications and format (these may change as the project develops)
Main messages and objectives
Where to look for inspiration (and where not to look)
Design budget
Production budget
Timeline/deadline

Some special projects may require a design brief format with slightly different elements. I’ve found that for logo design some of the above are not relevant, while other details (such a specific colors) are more important. So I create a different design brief specifically for logo design.
What happens after a design brief is presented?

When you first present your design brief, give your designer a bit of time to look over the details. He/she may have questions or suggestions for improvement. Sometimes it may be necessary to modify or hone some specific aspects of it. For example, based on your project details, the designer may suggest an alternate size or folding for your print piece. Although it is not always possible to work out all the details at this stage, it is important that both the client and the designer have a document that they feel good about. Sometimes it may take a few rounds between the designer and client to reach that point.

Outline why the design brief is critical to the design process

A design brief is an essential part of the design process. It gets the ball rolling and helps the designer think strategically about design solutions. It also encourages the client (you) to process and clarify what they need from the project. A design brief should primarily focus on the outcomes and the business objectives of the project and should not attempt to deal with the aesthetic details of design.

What is your business about?

What does your company / organisation do?
What is your company’s history?
What are your distinctives? How do you differ from your competitors?

What are the project goals? Why?

What is the overall goal of the new design project?
What are you trying to communicate and why?
Are you trying to sell more products or get awareness of your product / service?
Do you want to completely reinvent yourself or are you simply updating your promotional material?

Who is the target audience?

What are your target market’s demographics & phychographics? ie. the age, gender, income, tastes, views, attitudes, employment, geography, lifestyle of those you want to reach.

Tip: If you have multiple audiences, rank them in terms of importance.

What copy (text) and pictures are needed?

Tip: The copy and pictures used in a design are as crucial as the design itself. In many cases, the designer may have specific suggestions – particularly concerning the images. 

But you should state what your needs/vision are concerning these and who is going to be providing the copy and pictures, if needed. You may need to look into getting a professional copywriter / photographer – ask your designer for some recommendations.
What copy needs to be included in the design? 

Who is providing the copy?
What pictures / photographs / diagrams etc need to be used?

Who is providing these?

What are the main messages and their objectives?
List the main message(s). 

What is the objective of each one?
Is there a call-to-action?

What are the initial specifications? (applies mainly to print projects)
Tip: The designer may have some alternate specs to propose, but it’s important to have a starting point.
What size do you envision the design to be?
What quantity?
How will it be distributed / used? Mailed in envelope, viewed online, handed out at tradeshows, self-mailed?
Who is responsible for choosing a printer and following the job at press? If you have already made arrangements with a printer, please describe them.
What other information should the designer know in regards to specifications? Type of stock, ink colors, special folding, variable data?

Where to look for inspiration (and where not to)

You should provide the designer with some examples of what you consider to be effective or relevant design even if it is from your main competitors. This is not to say you are wanting that particular style or a similar design. It is about giving the designer a benchmark as a reference point and considering what your competitors are doing.

What feelings or metaphors reflect the spirit of your product or company?

Also give examples of what the design shouldn’t include and what styles to avoid.
If you have a strong opinion about specific styles that you like or dislike, now’s the time to speak up. 

Please be open for these preferences to be challenged if the designer feels like they are in conflict with what is needed to communicate effectively to your target audience.

Do you have a particular budget cap for the design component of your project?

If you don’t know how much to figure for design services, that’s ok. The designer will be able to provide an estimate based on the info you have provided.

 However, if there is a specific limit under which the costs must remain, it would be very helpful to know up-front (especially if it is particularly low). 

This will help the designer understand whether the project is even possible and will prevent wasting time and resources.

What is your budget for printing/production/web?

Sharing your budget for printing/production will help the designer know what is within the realm of design possibilities.

What is the timeline/deadline?

If possible, give the designer a detailed schedule of the project and set a realistic deadline for the completion of the work.

You should take into account the various stages of the design project such as consultation, concept development, production and delivery. 

If you are unsure about what steps are involved in the project, give as much detail as possible about your final deadline and ask your designer to help you fill in the rest.

Able to determine the design brief requirements

Identify the key client expectations within the design brief 

So much work goes into winning new business, regardless of the vertical space in which you work; there is the initial prospecting, early conversations, strategic program development, budget consideration, and creation of a deliverables timeline. Unfortunately, all of that work can come to a screeching halt before the ink is dry on the contract when the same amount of time, energy and commitment isn't placed on managing the client's expectations after the business is won.

To ensure this is never overlooked, we developed the Super Six: keys to developing excellent client expectations and building longstanding relationships that can withstand good times as well as bumps in the road. After all, it's easy to keep a client when things are going well; maintaining a client when times are tough is the true test of a relationship. We believe the Super Six will aid in this process:

1. Build a relationship that goes beyond client/vendor

I have long maintained that business people like working with people they not only respect, but also personally like. Therefore, we believe that developing a personal relationship goes a long way in building a stronger business relationship. Get to know the client's family situation, how they spend their free time, where their interests lie and, most importantly, what motivates them on a daily basis. When you understand what makes them tick as a person, you can translate that into your business relationship.

2. Regularly communicate and address problems directly

A lack of communication is usually at the root of most problems associated with clients. Any good client relationship will be able to weather setbacks if you are proactive in communicating both good and bad news. When communication is direct and transparent, trust forms and helps to create a foundation for long-lasting relationships.

3. Agree on strategy, goals and timelines

Until you and your client agree on strategy, goals and timelines, you are always at risk of them not understanding what success is and how it should be measured. We always suggest creating a scope-of-work document that outlines the program details, budgets and metrics. This will alleviate any confusion over expectations and hopefully eliminate a difficult conversation.

4. Be a counselor

When you offer your client advice, direction, input and business counsel, you become a truly valuable partner. This style of open dialogue helps to establish the respect necessary to ensure better project management. Clients hire outsourced marketing services because they want an objective opinion. If you fail at giving that POV, you subject yourself to being a "yes man or woman," which will ultimately be your undoing.

5. Be a good listener

Listening is one of the most misunderstood and least used tools in managing client expectations. Many clients are unsure of what they are trying to accomplish or not very good at articulating it. As such, you must have excellent intuition and listening skills in order to identify key messages being communicated. One of the best ways to compensate for a client who communicates poorly is to repeat what you have heard and ask them to confirm the accuracy of key takeaways, which will ultimately impact expectations.

6. Budget is not a bad word

Most relationships will go south very quickly if you are not open and honest about budgets. To start, you must be realistic about setting a clear understanding of the budget required to execute the desired program. Throughout the course of the program, you must have regular dialogue about budgets. If you don't address the client until you have an issue (i.e., operating over budget), you will not only have an unhappy client, you may also find yourself eating the overages.

At the end of the day, your ability to manage client expectations is going to hinge on how well you choose to communicate. If you leave things up to chance, chances are you and your client will both be disappointed. However, if you take the time to listen, be proactive about communicating openly and address any issues head-on, you will keep client expectations in check and be in a good position to grow your relationship over time.

Explain what the design solution must achieve 

Design is a creative process that occurs in many settings. The steps outlined below offer a structured format for a formal design process based on models from industry.

Analyze the situation
Before beginning the design, sort out what problem you are trying to address.

Write a brief
Write a short statement giving the general outline of the problem to be solved.

Research the problem
Sometimes a problem can be solved "straight out of your head," but in most cases you will need to gain some new information and knowledge.

Write a specification
This detailed description of the problem spells out what the design must achieve and what limitations will affect the final solution.

Work out possible solutions
Combine your ideas with information obtained from your research to suggest several possible design solutions. Sketch several possibilities on paper.

Select a preferred solution
Decide which solution to develop. Although the chosen solution should, ideally, be the one that best satisfies the specifications, other constraints such as time, cost, or skills may limit the decision.

Prepare working drawings and plan ahead
Draw the chosen design including all the details that are important to its construction.

Construct a prototype
Make the product. In industry a model is usually built first and the final product is developed from it, but in most classrooms, the model is the final product.

Test and evaluate the design
Testing is ongoing as the construction progresses, but a final test of the entire system or model proves if the project does the job for which it is designed. Look back at the specifications and check the requirements carefully. Ask such questions as: How well does the design function? Does the design look good? Is the product safe to use? Were suitable materials used? How could I have improved on my design?

Write a report
The report provides evidence of your work in analysis, planning, designing, carrying out the practical work, evaluating, and communicating.

Identify the parameters and limitations in the design brief 

Grant of exclusive rights to make, use, and sell an industrial design that is novel, non-obvious, and ornamental. A design patent covers the superficial aspects whereas a utility patent covers functional aspects of a design.

Give examples of formats used for design briefs

Give examples of key terms used in a design brief and their meanings