A bit about why we created this handy and FREE design brief form
We’ve been off to a really busy start so far this year and for that we’re super grateful. We’ve been Graphic Designers in Norwich for almost 8 years but Disco Flamingo is our new name, our new brand and we’re pleased to say that we’ve been involved in some really great projects so far.
But most recently we encounter a new problem that we had to solve. We came to work with a new client on designing an A4 advert for a magazine. They didn’t really have a design brief, or a very good idea of what they wanted. We went ahead anyway, and came up with some varied options and looks for them. We ended up working through a few different reiterations before we came to a finalised design. The client didn’t have a clear idea in their head of what the ad needed to convey and because of that, we ended up tailoring the advert several times to suit each new message. Not a problem by any means! We’re always happy to work to make sure that a client is 100% happy with a design. But this process wasn’t the most efficient way of working for us or for the client. And we wanted to ensure that we had a better way moving forwards for all future projects.
I came to realise that if we had sat and had a detailed conversation in the first instance; talked about what they were hoping to achieve with this particular advert, what they would like to keep from their existing branding or maybe improve upon; that we would have had a much more straightforward and efficient creative process.
Of course, it’s always the case that even when you have a clear idea in mind, things can change once a design is translated to the correct format and all of the copy is in place. Perhaps that image doesn’t work as well as you first expected. But that’s ok. By looking at all of these aspects before beginning a creative project it helps give a designer some much needed guidance and perspective in what you need from your collateral and what you’ve used before now.
To solve this issue, I decided that the best action moving forward would be to produce our own Design briefing document. It means that before beginning a design project, we can send this over to the client and glean all of the initial thoughts and details on the upcoming project. Not to mention deadlines, file types required and more about the company background too.
By using this design brief form, it means that every project will start off the right way. We can collect all of the information that we need before starting the creative process. It will save inevitable design time making educated guesses and mean that we have all of the information that we need upfront.
For example, it’s always really great to see work that a client has had produced before. If you’ve had a leaflet done in the last year that you love, and would like another, it makes sense for your designer to see what you love about the current design. What elements you like. What elements you think complement your brand really well. And maybe a couple of elements that you’d like to improve upon, too. Vice versa, perhaps you’ve got something that you don’t like very much at the moment. Perhaps it’s outdated and you don’t want a repeat of last time. Share this with your designer. Tell them what doesn’t work about it. Any good designer knows how to problem solve and work around your brand to create something more in line with your needs and something that you like, too.
Because we’re a generous lot at Disco ( ? ), we thought we’d share our briefing document with you. Perhaps you’re reading this and thinking that this would massively help the next time you started a creative project in house. Or potentially you’re looking at working with Graphic Designers in the future to bring your next social media campaign to life. Whatever the need, hopefully this helps you to begin any future projects in the most detailed and cost effective way. You’ll be happier that your newest project is off to a good start, the creatives are briefed to the last detail, and your creative team will be happy to have a comprehensive brief.
Please let us know what you think of our form. If you have any suggestions that you think would be a useful addition to the above, we’re all ears! What’s the web if not a place to connect, share ideas and learn valuable lessons.
If you are in the need of a Graphic Designer in Norwich and would like to discuss your next creative project, then please do get in touch with us.