A design brief should explain the problem before colours and visual references. It gives the designer enough context to make decisions and gives the client a consistent way to evaluate the result.
What to check
- State the business problem and the audience whose decision matters.
- Define one main message and the action the audience should take.
- List the surfaces, sizes, languages and formats required.
- Link approved copy, logos, product data and reference material.
- Explain which references are useful and which approaches to avoid.
- Name the decision-maker and the people checking factual claims.
- Set draft, review and delivery dates, including dependencies.
- Specify revision scope, source files and usage rights.
Practical example
“A modern catalogue” leaves the task open. “A catalogue that helps a sales representative find the correct product code and dimensions quickly” gives the layout a concrete job.
Decision standard
Someone reading the brief should understand where the work will be used, who approves it and what makes the result successful.
