How to write a rock solid design brief (with examples)

Design briefs are an essential part of every successful design project’s workflow. They align everyone involved on the purpose, milestones, and end goals of the project.

A well-written design brief is like a roadmap:

• It helps you identify and avoid roadblocks early on.
• It speeds up the design and development process.

On the other hand, a design brief that contains nonessential information and gaping holes causes even the best designers to struggle to do great work. Even worse, running a project without a design brief results in chaos with countless phone calls, ping-pong email threads and lack of clarity on design direction and project milestones.

In this guide, we’re going to explain the benefits and show you how to create a design brief so that you can make your creative projects a roaring success. We'll give you valuable insights on what to include, tips for success, and even examples and templates to get you started on your next graphic design project.

What we'll cover

What is a design brief?

A design brief is a short document—typically one or two pages—that explains the strategy for a design project’s visual direction and aesthetic. It also outlines the goals of the project and maps out the plan for how your design team will get there. This plan can include the number of versions and design mockups expected over the course of the design project, a visual mood board and design inspiration examples, branding guidelines for the design team and expected delivery dates

A design brief is a type of creative brief, which typically encompasses all the possible elements of a creative project.

The main focus of the design brief should be on the results and outcomes of the design concepts and visual direction. It should also relate that design vision to the business objectives of the project. In other words, it allows the client to focus on what they want to achieve before any design work starts on the project.

Finally, design briefs are usually signed off by the client and design team at set milestones in the project to ensure everything remains on track.

The benefits of using a design brief

Starting a new project with a design brief is beneficial to both clients and designers. For example, a design brief:

• Equips designers with the background, foundation and insight to create the end design.
• Sets out the client’s expectations, visual taste (what they do and don’t like), and branding requirements for designers.
• Keeps stakeholders and contributors on track to complete the project on time and within budget.
• Ensures the project is understood and agreed upon by both parties from the outset.

Who writes the design brief? 

Various opinions exist, but most designers would expect an initial design brief from the client. From there, it can become a working document that gets approved by both parties. But there are other options:

Client

With large companies, it’s typically a Company Director, Marketing Manager, or Marketing Executive who writes the design brief. In smaller companies, it’s usually the business owner who writes it. 

Designer 

Sometimes the brief is written by the designer rather than the client. Designers usually have a design brief template to be completed by the client that ensures they have all the information they need to start work.

Collaborative team

A third option involves the client and designer collaborating on the brief. This allows both parties to clarify goals and objectives, get input from stakeholders, and sign-off quicker.

The point is that both parties have a vested interest in getting the design brief right and signed-off before any design work starts. The client has to initiate the process, even if it’s asking a designer to meet and discuss the project so they can get ideas down. Some designers will have a standard template they’ll ask clients to complete first and then flesh it out with more details in a meeting.

How to write a design brief

Whomever writes the design brief needs to include key elements so that everyone involved has a clear picture of the requirements.

You can create design briefs in different styles and formats. But a good design brief outlines the deliverables and scope of the project, including any outcomes, timing, and budget.  

Design briefs are used across a wide range of projects including those in the fields of architecture, interior design, fashion design, and industrial design, as well as graphic design, web design, ecommerce, and branding and rebranding.

Depending on the nature of the project and the client requirements, there might be slightly different sections, but as a general rule of thumb, a good design brief generally includes:

• An overview of the business
• Goals and objectives of the design project
• The target audience and market
• The competition
• Project design information
• Project deliverables
• Project timescales
• Project budget
• Project approval

Let’s look at each element in more detail.

An overview of the business

Design briefs should always include an overview of the client’s business so that all stakeholders are familiar with the brand and what it stands for.

Key elements to include in this section:

• Company details, including name, industry, and product lines.
• Brand differentiator and/or unique selling proposition.
• Brand mission, vision, values, and messaging.

Questions to address:

• What’s the size of the company, and how long has it been in business? 
• What makes this company unique within its industry?
• What is the product or service?
• What is your brand’s mission?
• What are your brand’s keywords?
• What kind of feedback do you get from customers or clients?

Goals and objectives of the design project

A design brief needs to describe:

• Goals describe the overall purpose of the project. 
• Objectives are measures of success in reaching a goal.

Both need to be specific and measurable so that you can evaluate the success or failure of the project. For example: 

• Goal – increase traffic to the website.
• Objective – increase landing page visits by 10% by the end of Q1.
• Objective – increase new monthly visits to 40% of total traffic by Q2.

To build a thorough design brief, address questions such as:

• What do you want to achieve with this project?
• What does success look like for this project?
• Is this the first time this design problem has been tackled, or is it a reworking of a design that already exists?
• If it’s a rework, what needs to change, and why?
• What existing assets can be used as inspiration for our desired outcome?

The target audience and market

It’s essential to understand the target audience and market for the design. 

For example, a website designed for teenagers will look and work differently than one designed for corporate decision-makers. 

Determine what outcome will resonate with your target audience by considering questions such as:

• How would you describe your target audience?
• What are their demographics, habits, and goals?
• What devices do they use?
• Do particular colors resonate more with their lifestyle?
• What research have you done to identify and understand your target audience?
• Do you have supporting documents, like buyer personas or empathy maps, that I can review?

Image source: Blog Alexa]

• Can your budget and schedule accommodate further market research?

Note: If the client doesn’t have this information or more is required, then you may need additional budget.

The competition

Knowing the brand’s competition helps inform the design process and clarify the strategy. For example, what works for your competitors will likely work for you, but you need to know how to stand out from the crowd.

Make a list of direct and indirect competitors. For example, when launching its Watch Edition, Apple listed competitors as:

• Samsung Galaxy Live Watch: Though a trusted tech brand, its bulky, masculine designs are not as aesthetically appealing.
• Moto 360 by Motorola: A mid-priced option with a round face that resembles a traditional watch rather than a mini-tablet.
• LG G Watch R: A mix of classic style and technology.

• Fitbit by Tory Burch: A high-functioning, affordable sports tracker disguised as jewelry.

Implement competitive intelligence into your brief by outlining answers to these questions:

• Do you want to do something similar or strikingly different from your competitors?
• What are the strong points in your competitors’ designs?
• What don’t you like about your competitors’ designs?

Project design information

Clients don’t have to provide creative direction–the design team will handle that. However, it’s good to list requirements about what to include or exclude.

Include any reference materials:

• Brand style guidelines; e.g. fonts, colors, tones.
• Mockups 
• Moodboards

Uncover what your client has in mind by asking these discovery questions:

• Is there a brand style guide available?
• Are there any fonts, colors, or styles that we should avoid?
• What previous design or marketing materials can you share?
• How would you describe the style you want?
• Do you want high-end or down-to-earth? 
• Do you want to be bold and dominant or easily approachable?
• What styles would you prefer to avoid?
• What is the size of the design?
• Where is the design going to be used; e.g. web, business cards, stationery?

Project deliverables

Both parties need to have a clear understanding of what outcome is  expected. Make sure expectations are set on both sides.

Include any of the following details about your deliverables:

• Asset dimensions/resolutions
• File formats
• Required color palette
• Image assets to be included
• Associated copy documents

Get on the same page as your client by asking outcome-based questions such as:

• What do you expect to have at the end of the project?
• What file formats should the design work be supplied in?
• What asset size and resolution are needed?
• Is there a specific prototyping or handoff platform that should be used?
• Do you require me to handoff work directly to a development team?

Project timescales

Clients need to state when they want to start and complete the project. If timescales don’t fit with the designer’s other commitments, it could be a non-starter. 

Aside from starting and ending the project, there will be other milestones along the way like concepts, final designs, development work, and reviews. Clients also need to account for providing their timely feedback throughout the project – otherwise, they could end up delaying the process and missing deadlines.

In short, both parties need to be realistic and flexible to account for potential changes or unexpected obstacles to project timescales. 

Determine a timeline by asking: 

• When will the project start?
• When will the project finish?
• Are there any inter-dependencies for this project?

Project budget

Both the client and the designer need to be aware of the budget and constraints before the work commences.

The project budget has to align with project deliverables to avoid the possibility of scope creep.

Don’t avoid the subject. Discuss it as soon as possible so both parties know what to expect.

Questions to address:

• What are the budget constraints on this project?
• Have research, development, and testing costs been considered?
• In what circumstances would there be budget flexibility?

Project approval

In this section, list all the key stakeholders, contributors, and points of contact within the project with their assigned roles. You'll need a primary point of contact for the project, plus a person responsible for the final sign-off on all project deliverables.

Make sure all the details are listed, including their name, email address, and phone number. Remember to include any third-parties involved in the project, such as copywriters or web developers.

Questions to address:

• Who’ll be the primary contact person for the project, and who will have the final sign-off on all deliverables from the client's side?
• Is anyone else to be included in the approvals?
• How will the review and approval process work once design begins and progresses?

3 design brief examples to use for inspiration

Here are three different styles of design briefs to give you an idea of what’s possible.

1. Hush Puppies

The design brief example from Hush Puppies ticks all the boxes. It’s presented in a formal layout with clear section headings highlighting each component of the design brief. 

2. Quaker Oats

The next design brief from Quaker Oats has a different layout, but when you look closely, you’ll see it has all the essential ingredients. The background facts also provide handy information on the problem and what Quaker Oats want to achieve with their campaign.

3. Apple Watch

The final example for the Apple Watch Edition uses some existing photos to add substance to the design brief. But aside from that, you can see all the required elements, plus the “mandatories” of what and what not to mention.

Good design briefs are essential for any successful design project as they benefit both the client and the design team by:

• Equipping designers with the background, foundation, and insight to create the final product.
• Setting out the client’s expectations, taste (what they do and don’t like), and branding requirements for designers.
• Ensuring the project is understood and agreed upon by both parties from the outset.
• Keeping all stakeholders and contributors on track to complete the project on time and within budget.

Key takeaways

The information you include in a design brief and how you manage the approval of the design plans can make or break your design project. Before you begin creative production, be sure to:

• Prioritize creating a design brief before launching any project to align on expectation and outcomes.
• Document all aspects of the project from inspiration to budget to deadline in order to eliminate any surprises or differences in opinion.
• implement a workflow tool that streamlines clunky processes in various platforms so that teams can stay focused on the outcome without unnecessary admin tasks.

Ziflow is the perfect tool for successful sign-off of design briefs by the client and design team as all stakeholders get real-time updates and notifications throughout the review and approval. Learn more about using Ziflow's creative collaboration platform to review and approve your design projects from brief to final version.