Briefs matter: 6 essentials to think about when you’re putting together a design brief
Imagine walking into your favourite coffee shop and simply asking for "a coffee." No specifics about size, type, milk preference, or whether you want it hot or iced. Chances are, you'd end up with something that doesn't quite hit the spot.
Creating a design, whether it’s a brand identity or a piece of marketing collateral, without a proper brief is a lot like that vague coffee order. And as a designer with over 18 years of experience, I've learned that a detailed brief is the difference between a lukewarm, mediocre brew and a perfectly crafted, aromatic masterpiece.
In the same way that a barista needs to know if you want an oat flat white, a double espresso or a cortado, designers need clear direction to serve up designs that truly hit the spot.
In this post, I'll walk you through six essential ingredients that make up a great design brief, making sure your next project is as rich and satisfying as your favourite coffee. And if you’re wondering, my favourite is either a flat white, a cortado or a marocchino.
A brief puts into writing all the things that are floating around in your head. And this includes things like deadlines, objectives, the problem you're trying to solve and your audience. What a briefing document won’t do, is create the actual design...you leave that part to the designer who'll be guided by your brief.
The brief lets you focus on what you're trying to achieve, not on the aesthetics.
I now won't work on any projects without getting a proper design brief - in my eyes it's essential for both the client and for me. Regardless of whether I'm working on a new brand identity, or a brochure, knowing all of the information before starting the project is key! And I actually can't count on my hands how many times clients have told me they found the briefing process really useful to go through.
A good design brief
1. Put it in writing: the power of documentation
2. Information overload? No such thing in a brief
3. Take your time: thoughtful answers lead to better results
4. Clarity is key: avoid assumptions about your industry
4a. Define clear end goals before briefing
5. Precision matters: deadlines, budgets, and deliverables
6. The balancing act: be specific yet open to creativity
And in a little more detail…
1. Put it in writing, the power of documentation
It's great being able to verbally brief your designer but having things in writing just means that there's clarity right from the start. It also means that I've got this great design brief to refer to throughout the project so there's no chance of confusion, or of me forgetting what was said while we had a coffee and cake together!
2. Information overload? No such thing in a brief
A detailed document means I've got plenty of reading to do, and plenty of things to talk to you about when we go through the document together (this is something that’s part and parcel of the process when you work with me). Now you might be thinking “but it's in writing so why does Bhavini need to ask more questions”? I ask more questions to make sure I've understood your goals and objectives. And a lot of the time, the way you talk about the info on your brief, or answer my extra questions, will give me more information without you even realising you're doing it! A chat about the brief also gives me a chance to clear up anything that's a bit, well, unclear - I'm never going to assume I know everything so I'd rather ask the extra questions and be confident I've got things straight in my head.
3. Take your time: thoughtful answers lead to better results
Really think about your answers. if one of my clients sends a completed design brief back to me within half an hour I'm pretty sure that not enough thought's been put into it. That makes my job a lot harder, and it could also mean that my client is going to start rethinking things while I’m half way through their project.
4. Clarity is key: avoid assumptions about your industry
Include as much background info as you can about your business please. And for non branding work, don't assume that I automatically know what your brand colours or fonts are - send me your brand guidelines!* I’m happy to admit that there's no way I know everything about every industry I've ever worked in. And please try to stay away from industry jargon.
4a. Define clear end goals before briefing
Honestly, be super clear on your objectives and your why! And communicate this as clearly as you can. Once I start working on your project changing the brief half way through the project, or once the first designs have been presented, means that I’ll be pretty much starting from scratch. If your design brief is a little bit wooly, your design will be too!
5. Precision matters: deadlines, budgets, and deliverables
Make sure you include things like deadlines and budgets, as well as what kind of files you need at the end of the project. There's no point sending a brief to me, without telling me that you need things finished in 3 weeks. I may well miss your deadline and you'll be left disappointed!
6. The balancing act: be specific yet open to creativity
Your brief has to be specific in the info you're giving to me. But at the same time you need to be open to creative solutions. There's nothing worse than being given a brief where a client tells you exactly how they want a brochure to look - or worse still, being sent a Word doc that LAYS IT ALL OUT.
*If you don’t have brand guidelines for your business, let's talk about creating some for you!
Here are some of the things I ask my clients to include in a creative design brief:
Company background
Project description and objectives
Design style - brand guidelines
Existing assets
Audience/market
Deliverables
Content use
Deadlines and budgets
The briefing document for a brand identity project is much much longer!
In the same way that a barista needs to know if you want an oat flat white, a double espresso or a cortado, designers need clear direction to serve up designs that truly hit the spot.
Wrapping it up
Designers ARE NOT mind readers so you need to be clear about your goals and what deliverables you’d like from the project. Lay your specs and measurements on the table, and think about what you want and need now, as well as in the future. A good graphic designer will help to make sure your project is future-proofed as far as possible - and a good design brief is essential for that.
You should also keep in mind that design briefs can be interpreted in different ways by different designers. You could give the same brief to me and to another designer and we’ll both come up with different design solutions. So make sure you’re working with the right designer.
And remember, a great brief is like a perfectly brewed coffee – it needs time and careful preparation but the result (in both cases) is a brew that delights! By committing the thoughts in your head to paper, pouring in plenty of details, making sure your instructions are clear, and staying flexible (a bit like a skilled barista) you're setting the foundations for your designer to create something amazing.
Want to work with a designer who loves briefs?
If you’d like to find out a little more about the way I work with clients, why I do what I do or tell me about your Graphic Design related tales I’d love to hear from you! If you want to find out more about how I can help you communicate your message with your audience, or if we haven’t been in touch for a while and you’d like to reconnect drop me a line, I would love to catch up! You can email me on bhavini@b81designs.com.
I'll be posting more blogs, and case studies so be sure to check back here soon. Follow me on social media for regular updates, handy hints, tips and design inspiration! See you soon!
