7 BASICS TO CREATE A GOOD DESIGN BRIEF
By: Kevin Stark
Tags: Architect, Design Brief, Books, Libraries, Designer

Have you ever come across people saying that XYZ Library has sunk? Yes, the tales of sinking libraries exist. But, nobody ever mentions the reason behind the phenomenon of what makes them sink. The concept is that an architect designs a beautiful library to cater to every kind of reader that ever comes in, but after a few years, the structure of the library began to sink. The architect then acknowledged what the issue was after examining the work: they had forgotten to account for the weight of the library. So, how does this reference fit here?

Just like the structure of that library, the template of the websites that you build tends to get overloaded by a lot of moving parts and additions. When there are a lot of aspects to take care of while making a website, who is to say that more often than not we would not be missing out on the “books” that would jeopardize the performance of the website in the future. So, what would be the key to avoid those mistakes? This is exactly where a design brief for the website comes into play. It helps the designers to know for sure that everything that the website has or will have in the future is accounted for. Get the perfect design briefs for your websites made today by Marvel Brand Designs.

What Are The Basics To Create A Good Design Brief?

From a client’s perspective, getting your designer to include each of the following essential elements in their brief will make their job as a designer a lot easier too. A precise and complete brief serves as the guiding document for the whole design process. It lays out exactly what you, as the designer, must achieve and the restrictions you must work within.

So, here are the essential elements of a good design brief:

1. The Goals and Objectives:

The first step is to determine what you as a customer expect from the new design. Is this a redesigned or reworked version of an existing site, or a brand-new design? Do you have concrete plans for what you want their site to accomplish, or are their plans hazier? For your design brief to aid your website’s design fully, you need to make sure that you identify what the goals and objectives of your new design are what exactly is it that you want to accomplish with the new website.

2. Budget and Schedule:

For some customers, budgeting may be a sensitive issue to talk about or discuss. But, believe us when we say that talking about it in advance and discussing it with your designated designer would be the best decision you could ever make. A lot of clients believe that if they tell their designers about their budget before they receive a quotation, the designers would probably overcharge them or charge them the most for the least amount of labor.

However, what the clients fail to understand is that with complete information about the client’s budget, the designer will be able to figure out what exactly is it that the client is looking for and how much financial leverage dopes the designer have to tailor the services as per the client’s will. Moreover, it is almost as vital to stick to a schedule as it is to stick to a budget.

Some clients are unaware of how long it takes to create a fantastic website. They do not realize that excellent design takes effort and is more than just putting together a nice picture. Clients may have specific deadlines that they need to achieve as a result of events in their company or industry.

3. Define Your Targeted Audience:

What is the audience that you want to reach out to with your website? Essentially, a website built for teens will differ from one intended for business decision-makers in terms of appearance and functionality. Right from the start, be specific in directing your designer to whom you want your website to appeal. Figure out who your ideal consumer is and if you are not clear who you want to target with your site try conducting brief research or go over your business plan once again.

4. Prepare a Project Scope:

Not one project scope is as comprehensive as the other. Some clients desire a one-of-a-kind solution. Some just ask you to modify a pre-existing template or design. Some clients want a full-fledged e-commerce site with a shopping cart. There are also clients who only need a brochure site with basic company information. So, in order to follow every client’s will properly, there has to be a separate, well-defined project scope for every client’s project.

5. The Available Material:

Is there a logo, brochure, product pictures, or other assets that you currently have or something that you might want to use in your design? For a designer, examining your existing advertising materials might provide significant information about your design preferences and goals. If you don’t have a logo or product photographs, you should either offer to get them designed or as the designer to do it for you.

6. The Overall Style of the Website:

It is critical to have a feel of what you want in terms of style. When you envision something clean and contemporary, your designer might have a grunge design in mind (or vice versa). So, it is essential for a client to elaborate properly as to what you expect the project to look like. Mostly, a lot of customers have unique likes and dislikes. Being vivid about what you want from your project and the designer is extremely important.

7. Explain the “Don’ts” in Detail:

What a client does not want is almost as informative as what they do like and desire. Certain characteristics irritate certain customers. An e-commerce site, a three-column layout, or a slideshow are all things that some clients do not want. Getting a sense of what you do not want your designer to incorporate will definitely help them avoid spending time creating features that are later rejected.

Precisely, the design brief acts as the project’s guiding document. Think of it as a business plan for a specific project. It should include all project-related information in a format that is convenient to reference throughout the project’s timeframe. You can also have your design briefs created by Marvel Brand Designers.

So, once you have started the project, make notes on your design briefs. Keep your proposal, as well as any other relevant documents, with you all the time so, that you can guide your designers too. Make notes in the margins or highlight the essential portions of each. Moreover, make sure that you are readily available for the designer if they need to ask anything rather than rejecting the design and having them do it all over again. The design brief in a nutshell is equally as important for the client themselves as it is for the designer.