How to brief your designer
If you want to set yourself up for success on your next design project, it’s imperative that you start with a design brief. A design brief creates a structured road map for your project and helps facilitate better communication for everyone involved. Briefing your designer, or any creative, is fundamental in achieving the end goal. You wouldn’t build a house without a blueprint and it’s exactly the same when commissioning a design project!
Already know how to brief? Get in touch to schedule your project!
It can be a bit daunting if it is not something that you have had to do before, but it’s easy to get it right if you follow some simple steps…
OVERVIEW
What is your project and what is the scope of work?
Start by explaining what the project is and what you would like the designer to achieve. This is the ‘problem’ that you are coming to the designer with, so you will need to explain why!
SET A GOAL OR OBJECTIVE
Why is this project important, and what do you want to achieve?
It’s really important to explain the goals and objectives before starting a new project. Focus on the problem that needs to be solved and the steps you need to take to fix the issue. Here you should also outline the purpose of the project and lay out concrete steps of how this goal will be met. The more specific the better!
GIVE BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Who are you targeting and what is the message that you want to portray?
Design is ultimately there to help sell or promote your business, so giving your designer as much information as possible will help them understand your business better. Background information such as who your business’ target audience is, who your competitors are, and what your brand values are, will really help to create a visual identity to your designer. Also, supplying them with brand guidelines and any previous design work/projects will help the designer bring uniformity to the project.
WHAT ARE THE OUTPUT REQUIREMENTS?
What are the deliverables?
To ensure that the end goal is clear, write out the description of each deliverable. This will provide your designer with a tick list so they know exactly what is required by the end of the project.
TIMELINE & DEADLINE DATE
When is the project launching?
A set agreed timeline that has been discussed between you and your designer is paramount. By stating a clear timeline and deadline date at the very beginning, will prevent any misunderstandings later along the line.
Remember information is key, so don't hold back! Your designer is likely to be well versed in interpreting briefs, and the easier you make it for them to understand what you'd like, the quicker the turn around time or the more creative the designer has the opportunity to be! Have you got an exciting design project? Get in touch, we would love to help!
