what? you still here?

THE DESIGN BRIEF

There is a huge gap between studying to be a designer, and one change has not been done immediately, and surely you
living in the working world. Then there are a whole range of missed their last edit, and no, they are only going to pay you
24/09/2008 2:20:31 PM
problems that confront design studios, not least of which is the bare minimum, as you were foolish enough to quote
communication. generously. And in the end, they didn’t like what was given
them, as they got exactly what they asked for and it looked
Equally many clients have problems with communication
horrible, or they DID like it and it looked horrible. Experience
and designers and it’s a common complaint being made to
can be a hard task master, however there are MANY things
feel out-of-touch, and that they do not understand their own
you can do to make sure the relationship between you and
business.
your client is as positive as it can be, whilst retaining your own

Likewise, many designers are made to feel like their expertise sense of joy in design.

is being ignored, and though EVERYONE believes they can

Having learnt from the school of hard knocks how to provide
‘design-it-themselves’, they do not realize that ‘taste’ needs
a great service to clients, I have also learnt how to politely tell
to be objectified to suit the market, not based on subjective
some clients that perhaps you are not the person they need…
tastes.
because let’s face it, we are not all compatible, be we can

In addition, I have been at the hard end of the stick with all be nice and make valued suggestions that help even the

the ‘difficult client’ that gets stroppy that their millionth and difficult client.

©AUGUST 2008 KALI7 STUDIO

The business world works to time schedules and agendas. As long as everything is clearly defined and written up in the
It doesn’t matter that the creative process does not final scope of the brief, both the designer and the client is
automatically work like clockwork, a designer still needs to protected. Make sure that you as the designer, always remain
be able to produce a workable time-line, needs to explain calm and follow any brief to the letter.
the pros and cons of alternatives, and be able to produce a
Every design brief should contain the
quotation based on reality without selling themselves or their
following:
clients short.

• SCOPE of the job. This includes the technical details and

Design Brief from the client
what they expect you to do in a nutshell. e.g. 1 x Annual
It all starts with a design brief. If your client doesn’t give you report x 2 concepts: with 64-72 pages, colour, designer
one, organise a meeting, take notes, write it up, send it to to organise and direct photography, liase with editor.. or
your client, and get them to sign it. If the client provides you Static web site, 3 levels, approximately 5 pages per level,
with a bad brief, organise a meeting, fill in the blanks, re-type photogallery, designer to organise and source all images...
it, send it to the client, and again get them to sign it. and so on.

the impossible client • MARKET. This means the target audience e.g. Annual
report to serve as major marketing tool and to be included
If the client won’t play the game, that is, they can give you no
with prospectus for future investor share portfolio or Web
help or information, tell them you cannot assure them of a
Site to show case information and share options, and
timely product and therefore will charge by the hour. Be very
serve as a marketing tool... age group 30-50s...
polite and courteous, and ask if they would like 3 different
designs so that they can determine if one of these designs is • STYLE. This also includes the project theme e.g. Annual
something they would go for. Warn them they will be paying report modern, business savvy, innovative, theme to centre
for your time until a resolution is researched, and that a around busy city...
quotation is not possible without a firm design brief before
• BUDGET (which enables you to determine who is going
hand, and extra payable processes have to be followed, that
to print/host, and how many ‘bells and whistles’ you can
is, the resultant budget could be blown before you even start
include, what photographer etc). Some clients will not give
on the job proper.
you a budget so its up to you to quote for mid and upper
Should you be working in an environment, where you have range pricing. Budget can also give you an idea of what
to deal with a ‘sub-client’, and can get no definitive design the client thinks the job is actually worth, and how much
brief, even after a meeting, then you are in a position to call time you should spend on it!
the shots. Basically, you give them a time line and budget,
• DEADLINE - when do they want the finished job by.
and say that within these constraints, only minor editing from
Remember that printing may take up to 14 working
them will be possible. Still write up a design brief, and make
days if you include varnishes, die shapes etc... And a
this very clear.
complicated web site may eat up programming time...
For example:
• LIKES AND DISLIKES - The sooner you find this out the
SCOPE. The scope of this project could not be defined by better, so why not get your client to include it in your brief.
the client, and therefore the project must be limited by the What colours do they like, what images, can they give
time-line which only allows for x number of designs, and only you examples of reports or websites. All you have to do is
minor edits. then marry what they like, with what they need in terms of
market, and you will have a happy client.

©AUGUST 2008 KALI7 STUDIO

CLIENT NAME, WEBSITE AND TYPE OF BUSINESS: RESEARCH PRIOR TO QUOTING

After receiving the Design Brief, talking to your client, the next
step is RESEARCH. How much research you do is dependent
SCOPE:
on the SCOPE of the job. For prospectus, annual reports,

description: new identity, identity re-vamp, family of materials, major

advertising campaigns and web sites you do everything listed

technical: below. For smaller projects your research in some areas may

media: be minimal – bearing in mind that the more you do even for

design type/s: small projects, the better a reputation you will maintain for

project management: your studio.

other:
Research

• If your client is established, research your client’s

MARKET: business or company, read their mission statement, find

out what they are about. Pay special attention to their
existing identity, and how they see themselves. If they have
an identity or standards manual, make sure you know are
familiar with it.

STYLE:
• Next (and this is where you jump in if your client’s
business is new or they are re-vamping their entire
identity), research your client’s major opposition, and what
they are about. Also look into what similar companies are
doing and where they succeed. Make some notes and
BUDGET:
sketches as to any fresh ideas you may come up with.

• Research the market as a whole, what are the trends?

How can you improve your client’s situation with the work
they want you to do for them. How inventive will that
DEADLINES:
market allow you to be? Speculate. Remember you do not
what to present them with brilliant modern works of art,
if that is inappropriate to the market. This is often where
designers fall down. They design on the basis of what
they consider to be great works of art, and not what the
LIKES:
client needs or want. Remember you are being hired as a
service provider, so act like one. That does not mean that
you do not bring flair, innovation and creative influence,
it just means that you do it solely on the basis of the
understanding of your client’s market.
DISLIKES:

©AUGUST 2008 KALI7 STUDIO

 • Research your service providers, and get several quotes • Make sure you take vigorous notes, get copies of samples
along with a summation of the pros and cons from each. from everyone, even your client. Start making notes on
For example, with print media, which printer provides the ideas, and how to go about them, make sketches. Setup
most reliable service, what resolution are their machines, a process that you follow every time you apply for new
are they green friendly with their inks and process and so tenders or quotes, and stick to it. Get yourself a folder
on, obtain samples. Which paper will you use and why? and throw all these notes and sketches in it. This will also
Again obtain samples. AND do not forget to obtain a range serve as reference material for future work. There is a lot
of quotations, this will be included in the client quotation to do before you can start being creative. Also this process
from you. Do you need photography? Who will you use? allows you to come up with a concept for your client far
What do they cost? Will you use an image library and so more simply. Don’t forget to add to these notes after the
on… Get prices BEFORE you submit a tender or quote tendering process; what the client liked, disliked, where
AND MAKE SURE EACH OF YOUR PROVIDERS CAN FIT you went right or wrong… This will be invaluable in the
WITHIN YOUR TIME-FRAME. future.

Tìora
• Research your own work load, start writing down how Get the routine right and you will have heaps of time, be able
long each stage of the job will take based on previous to manage your schedules, and produce a superior product.
experience on similar jobs. DO NOT SELL YOURSELF In a studio situation, work as a team, with each member

Slàint
SHORT. Come up with alternative time lines if Murphy’s taking on an aspect, and then coming together with regular
Law (i.e. everything goes wrong) intervenes. All this will meetings. For the sole contractor with a very heavy work load,
be part of your brief to your client. If you are new to this, this is where you can hire a work experience kid, or a family

Turas
ring a few design studios and tell them you are fresh out of member who needs some work!
college and need to know how long they take to do certain
things.

and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and
pam egg spam spam bacon and spam; spam sausage spam spam bacon

spam spam spam spam spam baked beans spam spam spam...

mornay sauce served in a Provencale manner with shallots and aubergines

ith a fried egg on top and spam.

m, that’s not got much spam in it.

sausage?

gg sausage and spam, has it?

ough next few lines...)
usage without the spam then?

pam!

©AUGUST 2008 KALI7 STUDIO

ou can’t have egg bacon spam and sausage without the spam.