What is a Design Brief?

Anyone who has hired a graphic designer may have wondered what is a design brief and why their designer insisted on one. A design brief is a vital part of the development process in creating a professional business image. A design brief is so vital, in fact, that those of you considering to hire a graphic designer should think twice about hiring a company that does not prepare a design brief before starting the project.

A design brief is a written document prepared by designers which is presented to their clients prior to starting a project. The brief provides a full picture of the business which helps the designer create a visual design that is just right for the customer. It is used as a point of reference for both parties throughout the design process. Since a different design brief should be completed for each customer, there is no “cookie cutter” format for them. However, it is important to know how to write a design brief since every brief should contain certain key elements regardless of the client.

For a design agency to provide the best service possible, the design brief should keenly focus on the results that the business expects to achieve. Contrary to what some people believe, a design brief has very little to do with the graphic design itself. During this phase of a project the designer meets with the client to discuss business objectives, milestones, vision and other matters relating to the company. Only with a full understanding of these matters related to the company, can a designer create a design package tailor made to fit the business.

The design firm will need a good amount of information to prepare the brief such as the nature of the business, business strategy and target audience. If there are stakeholders in the company that are not familiar with a design brief, it is helpful for them to learn about the brief before meeting with the designer. It is a good idea to know about your company’s advertising budget and time constraints since this will be included in the design brief. An understanding of deadlines and schedules on both sides saves time, resources and money.

A design brief will include what images and verbiage will be used in the finished design. It is important that the design profile meets the approval of all leaders in the company before the design is created. This helps to ensure that the finished design is effective and also helps to avoid multiple changes in the designing stages.

Try to prepare for the meeting with the designer by knowing the business profile, objectives, budget and timelines ahead of time. Make sure that key employees that do not know what is a design brief are informed about the process so that they are prepared. Keep communication open with the designer, including any questions that may arise. Remember that the quality of the design brief affects the finished design since it is the document that the designer works from to create that valuable company image.

To know more about design briefs and web design, visit the Web Design FAQ section of flyingcowdesign.com.