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How to take an effective brief that will steer and safeguard your design project
Design Briefs
A brief is an instruction from a client to progress a work.
it is our responsibility…
As the client rarely understands all that is involved, it is our responsibility to walk them through the process, extract the information and resources needed and to produce what the client needs (not nessessarily what they want though).
… if things go sideways…
The first rule of any project is having a paper trail. If nothing else, it’s makes the project review and evaluation much easier. At best, it enables you to keep on track and deliver what the customer ordered. And, if things go sideways it is a crucial tool in resolving disputes.
A brief is a tool is to help a designer understand customer needs and wants and from there to outline a project to the customer to sign off on. The more thorough the brief, the happier the customer will be. The client often does not know the process, it’s the designers responsivity to guide the client as they rarely understand what the designer needs to perform well.
It’s the designers job to extract information from the client to get a feel for the clients’ needs
By embracing this process you learn:
- design foundation
- business administration
- client communication
- the appearance and identity of your business
- foundation for your business plan
- foundation for your marketing plan
- foundation for your strategic plan
- where you will find your customers
- what will distinct your business; andÂ
- what you are getting yourself into!
Create - Manage - Produce 