Unit 2 Design Brief

why a design brief is critical to the design process

A design brief is a comprehensive written document for a design project. The document is focused on the desired results of design – not aesthetics. A regular design brief will generally consist of a reference number, contact details such as email and telephone numbers. It will have the date and deadline information such as the person responsible for proofing and which company it will be printed with.

There will generally be a section for the audience and age group and what the main purpose of the design is.

Many briefs also have a section for filenames of images used and how much they cost if they were bought stock photos. They also keep a time log of how long each section took to produce.

It will also contain a section to be signed off like the proofreader and the date and the person who gave the final word to print.

By having these sections it enables the designer to see their strengths and weaknesses and keep track of spending and where each design ends up. It can also be used to keep as a record of work.

A good design brief needs to start with the customers need, you need to establish purpose and performance and the main features of the design. Then you need to outline your aims, weather its to recruit, motivate, sell etc. This will help to decide what the target audience is.

The next thing to focus on is the budget and time scale, how long will each element take and how much money can be spent for things like stock photos etc.

A design brief can come in many different forms, it can either be filled out manually, taken down on the telephone or emailed. Some briefs may come via websites where the client fills in the information using an online form.A signed design brief forms a contract between client and designer. A design brief can also be in the form of a quote or purchase order. 

It is critical to have a design brief so that the designer can follow the guidelines and there is no confusion between designer and client. It’s a formal way of making plans. It can be used as a checklist to make sure all elements are covered and that the client is happy.