I recently had a conversation with a fellow designer at a different shop, and we were discussing ‘The Design Brief’. Whenever we start a new project here at Canada’s Web Shop we always release a design brief document to be filled out by our clients that helps us get ‘into their head’, and their industry. My friend thought this was a novel idea; I thought it was a necessary idea. This is probably the beginning of the process for many professional web design shops, but I just wanted to outline the key areas that I find helpful to ask about in our design brief when starting a new project.
The Brand
Brand materials are a must. A crisp, high resolution version of a clients logo goes a long way and saves time trying to peel it off an old website (if the job is a re-design), this ensures we can re-use it easily on other materials in the future. Brand colors should also be outlined, or better yet, a branding standards document outlining colors and logo usage. It might be rare for clients to have a prepared branding standards document, but when they’re available, they’re a big help.
The Client’s Interests
We always try to get a feel for the aesthetics our clients are interested in. We send them on a little website hunt for sites they like, sites they love, or even just single elements they enjoy the styles of. Whether these sites are in their industry or not isn’t as vital at this point in the brief. We’re looking for styles to gather inspiration from and that will light up an emotional response. We’re looking for that “YES! Change nothing! You did it!” response.
The Industry
Sometimes, we’re dealing with industries I’ve never participated in. Being a young tech-savvy individual with a very electronic lifestyle, I find it hard to relate sometimes to industries I’ve never learned about before. To combat that gap in knowledge, we always ask the client for some recommendations. Choosing photo imagery is usually second nature to a visual designer, but sometimes the client has different ideas on what’s appropriate for their industry. We also always ask for any marketing materials they have available, and of course the scoop on the competition.
The Goal
Always, always design with the goal in mind. If the client can’t articulate the goal of the website, we’ve got a problem. If they’re looking for a visitor converted into a contact, make sure that CONTACT US area stands out. If they’re looking to sell products, make sure it’s easy for visitors to buy, and make sure they’re tempted at every turn. If they’re looking to educate their own customers, make sure it’s an easy portal for their customers to direct their questions and keep the clients phone from ringing with questions easily answered on the website.
The design brief is a necessary part of every design job. From a questionnaire delivered and sent back, to a phone call, to a sit down meeting with pen and ink; no matter how you get it done you can’t start developing from that blank canvas before realizing just what needs to be accomplished. Feel free to comment below and let us know if our brief ideas helped you out on a new project, or if we’ve missed something you find helpful in your own briefing process. I’m interested in hearing from you!
Tags: Brief, Canada's Web Shop, Chris, Chris Savoie, design, Design Brief, Important, Process, Project, Savoie
This blog is AWESOME! I’m so glad I was surfing Googletoday and found it. It was just what I was looking for! I have been doing this for awhile now and this even tought me something. Keep up the awesome work. I’ll be back to read more!
Hey PPC Managment, sorry I missed your comment before. I’m glad my post helped, the brief is a really important part of our process here, and I couldn’t imagine doing this kind of work without one.
Hope to hear from you again on future posts! it’s always good to generate a bit of discussion.