Whether you’ll need a new design, engineering, prototype, website, video, advertising campaign, or whatever is on your plate produced for the business, the important thing is to create the work while thoroughly thinking through all angles. Remember, the more it is thought through, the more you are prepared.

An innovative brief is really a simple document that explains the intricacies of the tasks for our creative team, designer and engineers so that they have a little clue of what they need to do. Consider it as being a blueprint for the project that will not only help the creative team build but rather help you while you shape the general strategy and goals for the project.

Although it takes a little time to build up a good creative brief, it’ll be worth your time. It will assist you in making sure the deliverables you obtain align with your expectations and business. As well as, it’ll also make the entire process smoother both on your end as well as ours. It will allow a efficiency, help save money on your end by minimizing overtime and extra expenditures such as additional prototypes etc. So, before you begin focusing on the creative brief, make time for yourself to carefully consider the project with objectives.

With regards to format, the brief could be produced in a number of file types: Word document, PowerPoint presentation, PDF, Google document, or Google presentation. For all sake, you can even write it on a napkin or even chisel it on a stone. It doesn’t matter really. As log as its written down. We always say, “wise man forgets but the pencil never does”.  While you should use exactly the same template every time, you’ll most likely end up creating a brand new one for each project. Just make sure you’ve covered and considered all the critical details every time.

While it’s smart to get into detail, bear in mind that you simply shouldn’t get into a lot detail that the brief becomes overwhelming. Allow it to be informative but digestible. Usually if someone is looking over it, limit to a 1 minute outline. That’s it. No more. Once its in front of the team, they can look over in a minute but as each point is discussed, the meeting ends up about an hour.

It is also worth noting that the project shouldn’t start until you and the creative team have discussed and arrived at an awareness on everything outlined within the brief. It’s smart to have a kickoff meeting to talk about the brief and discuss any queries or issues.

Now let’s dive right into a couple of key information your creative brief must include and questions it ought to answer.

1. Describe your Organization

Provide context and background about your organization to assist the designers or creative team to better understand your company. Who’re you and also what services and/or products would you offer? Include links if any and background material that could be useful to the team.

2. Summarize the Work

What’s the project? And why do you want it? Do you need a design, engineering or just a prototype to be created? Are you currently refreshing your company’s product or starting from scratch? Describe exactly what the project is, what it really entails, and why you’re doing the work.

3. Explain your Objectives

This really is most likely the key to the brief, and it is crucial that you consider your strategy and objectives completely before getting the work going ahead. Why do you want this project? What exactly are you wishing to get from it? What exactly are your objectives? What is the problem you’re attempting to solve? How would you measure success? For instance, if you are developing a tooth brush, you may measure success by the amount of sales. These records can help the designer understand your objectives and develop solutions that address them.

4. Define your Target Market

Who’s your customer? Who’re you attempting to sell your product to. Who is your target market. What kind of campaign would you like to create to reach to the end user? Share demographic details, if you have any. Do you have any behavior insights.

5. Outline the Deliverable You’ll Need

Do you want a prototype? A full product manufactured? Or a website designed for the product? Or all of the above? Make sure to mention file formats you’ll need (i.e., Digital, PNG, PSD, BOM, DWG, STEP), files or file type information (i.e., 300×250 pixels), and then any other important details required to provide the right assets.

6. Identify your Competitors

Who is the competition? You might want to include an introduction to the competitive field and then any trends or market conditions impacting your industry. With this project, what exactly are your competition doing as an item of comparison so that as an item of differentiation? For instance, if you are redesigning, what kinds of design upgrades and colors does your competition use? These records can greatly help inform us with the direction the designers need to go in (they’ll do additional research too). You may also incorporate a couple of types of designs you want or don’t like.

7. Include information on a Dark Tone and Underline Message, with Elegance

The design, style and overall look ought to be in line with your brand as well as hinge on which the work is, what you’re attempting to achieve, and just what action you would like your clients to consider. To help understand what the message you need to convey it is be sure to include your strategic positioning and the key messages that need to be addressed. For instance, if you’re creating a product that is trendy you might want to emphasize a design that would be lively and fun to inspire people to impulse buy. If you’re developing a product that would survive a longer life cycle then you would, most likely, need something that looks more minimal and is not too aggressive in design. Formal and professional is usually the style to go after. If you have a certain brand style or guide in hand it would be an excellent opportunity to present it, If you have examples of past products, campaigns or related projects, be sure to share them with our designers. This would tremendously provide a direction that would affect the creative team.

8. Supply the Timing

For those who have a period in your mind for the project, include it within the brief. On your kickoff meeting or initial conversations together with your designer, make certain to go over the timeline and concur a completion date. It is also smart to discuss the overall creative process and discuss if edits and the number of models seem to be possible and whether they’re incorporated if it is a set-cost contract.

9. Specify your Budget

Most likely you have a certain budget in mind. Whether with or without investors you it is always good to have a certain budget. This helps when specifying timelines. If you wish to have a project finalized faster we may be able to allocate double, triple the task force in order to complete the project at an earlier date. We will also discuss this and concur realistic expectations, deliverables, and project costs prior to getting anything started.

10. List your Partners

If others in your team or in your organization have to be incorporated within the review process, provide their contact details. You may also include how you would like to get deliverables and supply feedback. At 123 Design, we use DropBox and we share files through this 3rd party supplier if files are larger than 20MB.

Conclusion:

By considering and elaborating on these 10 key facets of your company and project, you can create a creative brief that would save time.