We were once again involved in Keelers exhibition stand, along with supporting graphics and literature for the major exhibition in the optical industry, the bi-annual Optrafair at the NEC.

How do you get the design you want? The perfect design you envision in your head? … The design brief is the answer.

Whether you are a designer or a client, an effective design brief is the single most critical factor in ensuring that a project is successful.

This article will tell you how to write an effective design brief that will be both beneficial to the client and the designer.

This article will be based from the client’s perspective.

What is a design brief?

First off, you may want to know what a design brief is. 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 exceed your expectations.

A design brief should primarily focus on the results and outcomes of the design and the business objectives of the design project. It should not attempt to deal with the aesthetics of design… That is the responsibility of the designer.

The design brief also allows you (the client) to focus on exactly what you want to achieve before any work starts on the project.

A good design brief will ensure that you get a high quality design that meets your needs, providing you have  chosen the right designer.

How to write an effective design brief

If you answer these questions below in an ordered and detailed fashion, your design brief will be 90% done… the other 10% will come from further questions from the designer after you submit your brief.

Have fun answering the questions and remember, provide as much detail as possible! This does not mean one line answers.

Building a strong and successful brand takes time, dedication and attention to detail.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking of branding (or corporate identity) in terms of the logo. Although a key component - a successful and coherent brand or corporate image is about much more. Other things to be considered are logo position, typographic style, colours, photographic and illustration style, even the way marketing copy is written should be consistent.

You must be clear on the character traits you want your brand to convey. You may well want to represent competence, quality, authenticity and credibility. But in a competitive and image aware market you need to use your brand image to communicate your own unique selling points and qualities.

A well planned and carefully executed brand whether for a product, service or company will increase sales and if looked after can become a valuable asset.