The Brief

A design brief is a small, concise document that should underpin the project.

It defines what the job requires and will give us the best chance of getting it right first time. The best place to begin with DUO is to work on the brief together; we can discuss it in a meeting or over the phone.

Call us today on 08000 246 294 or use the contact page to get in touch.

What goes into the brief?

The following outline describes some of the vital elements of a good brief. This checklist will prepare you for a creative, rewarding and effective outcome - every time.

Project requirements and overall objective

There are two parts to this. The first asks you to define precisely what you want your agency to produce. The second part should set out what you want it to achieve.

Purpose

Ask yourself how you are going to actually put the results to use. Will it form part of a larger campaign or will it stand alone? Will it be specific to a particular function or multi-purpose? This will change the way DUO approaches the project and the way marketing strategy and design combine to meet your needs.

Target audience

When you communicate, you communicate with human beings. So although DUO is happy to be given a generic or demographic description of your target audience or market, it is useful to give a more precise image of the typical person to be communicated with.

Background

To help you talk to people, DUO needs to understand you. The more we know about you, the more confident we can be in creating a clear way to speak for you.

Competitors

Tell us about them - which ones are doing well, which are chasing your tail? Once we know what you are up against, we can more easily help you get your message heard.

Brand values

Ideally brand values should be concise, fixed and carefully controlled because they define how others see you. If you have something formal, and up to date, you should share it. If not, provide a concise summary that you can all agree on. This can be a list of words you associate with your brand.

Character

Call it 'tone of voice' or  'look and feel' - it is probably best to tackle this in two stages - Visual and Verbal.

Visual - What overall visual impression do you want to make, for example, challenging, quirky, professional, accessible, intense, friendly?

Verbal - how would you like it to read? Should it be technical or jargon-free, emotive or functional?

Benefits

What's in it for your consumer? Tell us what you think your audience would like to get out of the work you're doing, and we'll make sure they get it.

Mandatory requirements

This is simply a list of all the things that absolutely must be included. Let us have copies of any guidelines that must be followed, make a note of logos that must be used, and any colour restrictions or other vital aspects of the project. It is also vital that you tell us upfront about any print or production restrictions that may influence the design outcome. This will save you a great deal of time and possible revision as the project progresses.

Timings

We need to know your proposed schedule so we can prioritize your work and ensure your deadlines are met. Give as much detail as you can.

Budget

You will need to have an idea of budget in order to set the scope of what we are going to do. For a free quote, call us today on 08000 246 294 or use the contact page to get in touch. Feel free to browse our price guide too.

Additional information

This means anything you think could help - references, web addresses, existing design material, brand guidelines and competitors’ material - it all helps get a handle on your project.

Call us to discuss your project on 08000 246 294 or use the contact page to get in touch.