07.8.11

What is a design brief?

A design brief is something that is vital to any design project, as it will provide the designer(s) with all the information needed to create a great visual design solution.

There is no single, off-the-shelf format for a design brief but there are a number of key points the agency MUST understand. The project team should create the brief focusingand the business objectives of the design project. All stakeholders should unanimously agree on the content prior to starting the design process. This ensures an effective design solution as well as keeps the expected changes to a minimum.

What is the finished size of the completed design?

How is it going to be printed or used?

What other information should the designer know in regards to finished specifications?

• What your business does
• What is you USP (Unique Selling Proposition)
• How you fit into your industry sector

• What are you trying to communicate and why?
• What is the ‘call to action’ or business objective
• Who are your competitors and how do you differ from them?
• Does it need to match existing material, conform to Brand guidelines or is it a new direction for your company?

It is just as important to provide us with what you DON’T want to see along with what you DO want to see in the designs. Provide us with some examples of what you consider to be effective or relevant design even if it is from your main competitors. This will set a benchmark for your project.

This will give the designer an idea of what to steer clear of and will avoid disappointment on your behalf.

Provide demographic figures about your audience (in order of importance) that may be useful to the designer. These may include: age, gender, income, tastes, views, attitudes, employment, lifestyle.

• Generate sales?
• Encourage enquiries?
• Gain newsletter subscribers?
• Obtain information from your audience?
• Encourage them to tell a friend?

Provide a ball-park figure, a budget expectation will give the designer a good idea of the type of solution they will realistically be able to provide. Providing a budget prevents designers wasting valuable time and resources when trying to maximise your budget.

Give the designer a detailed schedule of the project and agree on a realistic deadline for the completion of the work. You should take into account the various stages of the design project such as brief, concept approvals, development, production and delivery.

Tip: The copy and pictures used in a design are as crucial as the design itself and you should clearly state who is going to be providing the copy and pictures if needed. You may need to look into getting a professional copywriter / photographer – ask your designer for some recommendations.

• What copy needs to be included in the design? Who is providing the copy?
• What pictures / photographs / diagrams etc need to be used?
• Who is providing these?

Gotham is one of Sydney’s most established graphic design studios.

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07.2.11

How To Prepare An Effective Design Brief For Graphic Design Projects

A thoroughly prepared client brief is half the success of a rebranding or design project. Attaining all the necessary and relevant information from the client and a comprehensive insight into the client’s brand provides you with a great foundation for the right brand identity and design solution.

As a designer or brand consultant, a properly prepared client brief gives multiple sources of ideas to work with. Unless you have a clear understanding of what the client wants and needs you waste your time trying to design something out of nothing and the client ends up spending more money than budgeted for as a result of the required modifications…which naturally makes both parties very happy….

Depending on the particular project you will need a specific design brief. That means if you are developing a website or creating a business card, the client design brief will be different. However, there is some general information about your company and what you want to achieve, which should give a good idea in any design situation. Here are some general questions that will help me and fellow designers and consultants:

1. Title 2. What is the nature of your business? What does your business do? 3. What is your target market? a. Age b. Sex c. Income d. Occupation e. Location 4. What is unique about your business or product? 5. Who is your competition? 6. What is your aim? What are your goals? 7. How do you want your clients to feel about the brand? What is the message you want to communicate? 8. What is your budget? Range? a. Providing a rough guide enables the consultant/designer with an idea of the type of marketing and design solution that can be provided to you. 9. What is your deadline? 10. Provide the designer with current and past design and marketing materials.

 

 

 To see how you can improve the image of your brand click here: graphic design Melbourne

Graphic Design Melbourne

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10.15.10

Ordering A Custom Logo Online

Obtaining a logo design for your company involves communication with the logo designer so as to convey your ideas.

Online logo creation sites require you to submit a briefing form through which they will assess your requirements. They can also get to know the details of your company through the facts provided in the form. Therefore, give them precise details about your firm so that they can create an appropriate design.

Even though designers research their subject thoroughly, things would be easier if you impart the maximum information about your company.

Do go through the following points given below before submitting a briefing form to and online logo design site.

Do put across the nature of your business and the various brands that you are developing, to the logo designer.

It would help the logo designer immensely if you could describe your business with appropriate words. They might be able to understand terms like ‘reliable’, ‘modern’, ‘great customer service’ etc and develop a design most suited to your needs.

Another helpful factor that can aid in the design process is giving the designer access to a meticulous report of your business so that he is aware of the industry in general and the position you hold.

The designer should also understand the target market of the business and the specific image to be projected so that the logo can be created to be specific in every manner.

A designer should also be aware of the purpose of the logo, whether it is for a website or some other purpose. This will help the designer in designing something specific.

Your penchant towards any particular form, figure, technique, color, or font too is to be conveyed to the designer. You also have to convey your dislikes, if any, to the designer beforehand.

Creative freedom is something much appreciated by designers, but if you require something specific, it is a good idea to restraint them so that you can also have your say.

Although individuality and uniqueness counts a lot while creating a logo, it is a good idea to let the designer know if some other logo has inspired you and let him or her have its link. If you dislike a particular logo, that could also be conveyed to the designer who will then work accordingly.

Your designer should be informed about how different your company is from other competitors in terms of price, quality, service, variety, etc. This is basically termed as the ‘unique value proposition’ and makes your firm stand apart from others’.

You can choose from among the few logo samples that your designer sends you and get him to make any alterations to it if required. Get the opinion of your friends, colleagues, or family regarding the new design so as to improve on it further.

Depending only on your own opinion could be a blunder. Get the view of people in the target market group too, so that you will get a general idea about the logo.

All said, it is definitely worth communicating effectively with the designer so that he can create a perfect logo which will stand the test of time.

To read additional info on custom logo briefing forms visit Logo Reviews

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01.12.10

What is a design brief?

A design brief is something that is vital to any design project, as it will provide the designer(s) with all the information needed to create a great visual design solution.

There is no single, off-the-shelf format for a design brief but there are a number of key points the agency MUST understand. The project team should create the brief focusing on the results and the business objectives of the design project. All stakeholders should unanimously agree on the content prior to starting the design process. This ensures an effective design solution as well as keeps the expected changes to a minimum.

What are the specifications?

What is the finished size of the completed design?

How is it going to be printed or used?

What other information should the designer know in regards to finished specifications?

Company profile

• What your business does
• What is you USP (Unique Selling Proposition)
• How you fit into your industry sector

Project overview and background

• What are you trying to communicate and why?
• What is the ‘call to action’ or business objective
• Who are your competitors and how do you differ from them?
• Does it need to match existing material, conform to Brand guidelines or is it a new direction for your company?

Benchmark

It is just as important to provide us with what you DON’T want to see along with what you DO want to see in the designs. Provide us with some examples of what you consider to be effective or relevant design even if it is from your main competitors. This will set a benchmark for your project.

This will give the designer an idea of what to steer clear of and will avoid disappointment on your behalf.

Target audience

Provide demographic figures about your audience (in order of importance) that may be useful to the designer. These may include: age, gender, income, tastes, views, attitudes, employment, lifestyle.

Business objectives and strategy

• Generate sales?
• Encourage enquiries?
• Gain newsletter subscribers?
• Obtain information from your audience?
• Encourage them to tell a friend?

What is the time scale / deadline?

Provide a ball-park figure, a budget expectation will give the designer a good idea of the type of solution they will realistically be able to provide. Providing a budget prevents designers wasting valuable time and resources when trying to maximise your budget.

Give the designer a detailed schedule of the project and agree on a realistic deadline for the completion of the work. You should take into account the various stages of the design project such as brief, concept approvals, development, production and delivery.

What copy (text) and pictures are needed?

Tip: The copy and pictures used in a design are as crucial as the design itself and you should clearly state who is going to be providing the copy and pictures if needed. You may need to look into getting a professional copywriter / photographer – ask your designer for some recommendations.

• What copy needs to be included in the design? Who is providing the copy?
• What pictures / photographs / diagrams etc need to be used?
• Who is providing these?

Gotham is one of Sydney’s most established graphic design studios.

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12.19.09

How To Prepare An Effective Design Brief For Graphic Design Projects

A thoroughly prepared client brief is half the success of a rebranding or design project. Attaining all the necessary and relevant information from the client and a comprehensive insight into the client’s brand provides you with a great foundation for the right brand identity and design solution.

As a designer or brand consultant, a properly prepared client brief gives multiple sources of ideas to work with. Unless you have a clear understanding of what the client wants and needs you waste your time trying to design something out of nothing and the client ends up spending more money than budgeted for as a result of the required modifications…which naturally makes both parties very happy….

Depending on the particular project you will need a specific design brief. That means if you are developing a website or creating a business card, the client design brief will be different. However, there is some general information about your company and what you want to achieve, which should give a good idea in any design situation. Here are some general questions that will help me and fellow designers and consultants:

1. Title 2. What is the nature of your business? What does your business do? 3. What is your target market? a. Age b. Sex c. Income d. Occupation e. Location 4. What is unique about your business or product? 5. Who is your competition? 6. What is your aim? What are your goals? 7. How do you want your clients to feel about the brand? What is the message you want to communicate? 8. What is your budget? Range? a. Providing a rough guide enables the consultant/designer with an idea of the type of marketing and design solution that can be provided to you. 9. What is your deadline? 10. Provide the designer with current and past design and marketing materials.

 

 

 To see how you can improve the image of your brand click here: graphic design Melbourne

Graphic Design Melbourne

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