The Design Brief

This is the most important stage of the design process and needs to be discussed in more detail since this is the strongest section of the design process, where design management and the design agency intercept. The main aim of the design brief is to clarify the project’s business objectives and provide designers with a summary of key corporate points to base their design on whilst following the design methodology. The following list is a guideline to compiling a design brief:

1. Background

• Brief history of the product/service and where it fits in to the corporate profile

• Business objectives

• Current situation

• Project proposal

• Research

• Competition

2. Marketing/commercial objectives

• Aim to achieve with this piece of design

• Other materials available

• Core audience- existing & potential

• Key marketing objectives (e.g. SMART)

• Customer attitude/behavioural targets

• Market positioning – usp

• Special issues to cover

3. Target audience

• How is the product/service currently used?

• Who are you trying to reach/are you reaching them now?

• How does the customer currently view the product?

• Demography

4. Corporate brand personality/positioning

• How does this product support the Client’s brand values/strategy

• How do you want to be perceived?

• Most important audience message

• Benefits to the customer

• Method by which the customer will come into contact with the product

5. Design issues

• Design mediums (e.g. PDF, CD, Web, paperbased, signage, video, multi-media, etc)

• Technical/practical constraints – any parameters the designer must stick to?

6. Budget

• Total budget (ballpark figure)

• What is included/not included – e.g. Design to include illustration, photography, print, copyright – although don’t separate out these costs, Sync Europe will do that

7. Schedule and deadlines

• Planning/preparation timescales

• Absolute deadlines to be met?

• Start/delivery date

• Key milestones

• Other constraints (translations, legal services, etc)

• Who has authority for sign-off

8. Measurement

• How will the design be measured (quantitatively and qualitatively)

• Post evaluation – feedback/follow-up stage of the design process