Why design briefs make or break your design
By: Chaya Blumberg
Tags: Design Thinking, Graphic Design, Resources, Branding, Design Process

“Designing without research is like getting into a taxi and just saying ‘Drive’.” — Nate Bolt

Design seems intuitive, and in many ways it is. But before that spark of intuition happens, the groundwork needs to be laid. All great design is based on hard work and extensive research. A design brief is the culmination of the research process, packaging the research and presenting the findings to the creative team so that they can brainstorm and come up with the best designs that they can. It provides direction, purpose, and focus to the research and helps move along the design process to get to the destination.

Parts of a Design Brief

Every design brief is different. Some are targeted for specific projects, such as an ad campaign or logo design, while others are more general. However, all design briefs share some core elements:

Overview: A brief summary of the project and organization

A brief summary of the project and organization Mission Statement: The underlying beliefs and values that drive the company

The underlying beliefs and values that drive the company Personality: The character and personality that needs to show through in the design

The character and personality that needs to show through in the design Audience: Who the design is targeted to and their specific needs

Who the design is targeted to and their specific needs Goals: What needs to be accomplished through the design

Let’s look at an example:

This design brief was created for a hypothetical place called the Mural Cafe, and it is a more general brief, focusing on the personality and design theme to create a brand. Let’s talk about each section and why each one makes a difference.

Overview

The overview is the first thing a designer sees when reading the design brief. It has to be short, to the point, and encapsulate the who, what, when, how, and why of what the brand stands for. Sounds super easy, no? However, in some ways it is the most important part of the brief; it combines all of the different pieces of the project into a manageable, easy to read format. A well-written overview should give the designer an idea of the project and provide enough background information to move on to the next piece. In the design brief above, the overview tells the reader the location of the cafe, which food and services it provides, and a taste of its personality and vibe.

Mission Statement

Why does this brand exist? What does it bring to the world? For the Mural Cafe, the mission statement is that “The Mural Cafe is a space dedicated to inspiring creativity, encouraging productivity, and fostering community through art. We believe that everyone should have the space to express their individuality.” This is what the founders of the cafe believe in, and this is what needs to be brought out subtly throughout the design.

Personality and Atmosphere

How does the brand feel? What vibe does it give off? Every brand is associated with an emotion and a feeling, and here’s where you decide what that will be. For the Mural Cafe, the personality is “chilled, accepting, minimalist, unconventional, and innovative.” This personality will be laced through your design and is part and parcel of the company itself. This is what ties your brand together, and needs to be central in whatever the design project is.

Audience

Design is only as good as its audience. You can have a great ad campaign, but if you’re trying to sell Disney toys to college students, you’ve missed the mark. The designer needs to keep the target audience and their specific needs in mind at all times so that the design can be the most effective. The Mural Cafe does this by stocking office equipment for college students and remote workers, having great food for stop-ins and professionals on lunch break, and providing a unique experience for artists and tourists.

Goals

What are you trying to accomplish? If there are no clear, specific goals in mind, you’ll never know if the project was successful. Your goals provide the destination, the design brief is the road map, and design is the journey. Happy traveling!