What is a Design Brief
Posted on September 17th, 2006
When you initiate a project with a designer you need to do more than say I need a logo and my company’s name is [fill in the blank]. You need to know who you are selling to, what you are selling to them, why you are selling to them, and why they will want to buy it. Typically, this information is provided in a ‘Design Brief’.
The design brief not only gives the designer the tools he needs to make sure the work he does for you is on target, but it also gives you a sounding board to bounce the designers solutions off of to make sure that they have done their job correctly.
Having a design brief does not guarantee that your sales will sky rocket and your company will take the #1 spot in your market sector. But what it will do is make sure you are communicating effectively with your target audience. In a way, it will help you keep a focused view of who you are, where you are going and what you need to do to get there.
The Design Brief
When answering these questions try to be as succint as possible.
1. Profile
- What do you do?
- Why does it matter to your target audience.
- What is your Mission Statement
- What are your business’ Core Values
2. Context
- What is happening in the world today that makes your mission relevant to your target audience
3. Positioning
- Who do you have business relationships with?
- Who are your competitors?
4. Audience
- Who is your Primary Audience? (buyers of your products/services)
- Who is your Secondary Audience? (Board of Directors, Funders)
- What do they value?
- Do you have any demographic research?
5. Brand Personality
- How do you describe your company’s personality?
- How is your company perceived by your audience?
- How do you want to be perceived?
6. Current Situation
- Why are you looking to (re)brand?
- What do you expect it to do for you?
7. Budget
- How much are you willing to spend?
8. Media
- What materials will you need? These can include logo, stationery, brochures, catalogs, websites, print and online advertising, packaging, and more.
9. Schedules & Deadlines
- At what stages during the design process do you want to see the work?
- When do designs need to be submitted for approval?
- What is your drop-dead delivery date for produced pieces.
10. Technical Requirements
- Do you need Mac or PC compatible files?
- Does your printer prefer PDF or source files?
The questions and bullet points listed under each section above are not necessarily all of the question/info that you need to provide, nor do you have to answer every single question listed here. But it is a good start and to most companies all of these questions are relevant.
Spend some time with it and make sure you fully understand all the information you are providing before handing it over to the designer.