A well-prepared design briefing contains all relevant information for designers and is relevant for the success of a marketing project. If you want to impress your clients with your results, stay within budget and also meet the deadlines, you will not get around a design briefing.
If you like to drive your car at night without lights because you always get to your destination either way, then you can stop reading right now. However, you shouldn't complain if you sometimes have a bumpy ride in the marketing jungle and actually reach your destination very slowly most of the time. Working without a clearly defined design briefing is tantamount to this.
What is a briefing?
This is a short informative introduction to a new project that takes place between the client and the graphic designer. Since it is basically the first step at the beginning of a cooperation, we creatives in particular attach great importance to this briefing - after all, the briefing is the basis for a successful design and satisfied clients.
Why is a good design brief so important?
Für ein Kreativ-Briefing reicht es aus, wenn man Farben, Schriften und das Logo der Corporate Identity kennt sowie auch die Information, um was für ein Design es sich dabei handeln soll (Flyer, Website, Social media posting, etc.). However, to keep the success course of a design steep and high, a design briefing with structured information is necessary for easier communication.
A good briefing gives designers a basic understanding of the client's expectations, the campaign's objectives and the brand message. Creatives also get to know the target group of the project and the competitors.
Many marketing measures of complex projects require teamwork. Thus, it is equally important to carry out a proper onboarding of designers in order to ensure the success of a project's strategy. Brand within a campaign.
Of course, the design brief also has an influence on the marketing budget. The better designers know the client's ideas, the more likely it is to stay within the budget and not waste time with unnecessary correction loops, a lot of back and forth in communication and aha-moments too late.
Who should actually create the design brief?
This task is usually taken on by the marketing team. This team writes a detailed design briefing for the creative team of an agency or for independent graphic designers. In addition, a marketeer should also be available at this point for a personal, brief informational discussion in order to clarify misleading introductions or, in the best case, to prevent confusion and missteps in the first place.
What does a perfect design brief look like?
For us graphic designers at B2IMPACT, this "briefing" (as it is called in military jargon) consists of three major parts.
1. general information about the clients
- Vorstellung des Unternehmens generell
- Links zu Website und Social Media
- Einführung in die wichtigsten Aspekte der Marke oder des Produkts
- USP (Alleinstellungsmerkmal): Wie ist die Unterscheidung zu Mitbewerber:innen?
- Kontaktdaten der Ansprechpartner:innen (Hauptverantwortliche plus Vertretung)
3. background knowledge about the project
- Ziel des Projekts: What should be achieved with the help of the design team?
- Umfang des Projekts: Welche Leistungen (Werbematerialien) sollen von Designer:innen erbracht werden – Logo Design, Webdesign, Print Design etc.?
- Zielgruppe: An wen richtet sich die Kampagne?
- Timeline (einzelne Milestones für Entwürfe, Korrekturschleifen sowie Deadline)
- Budgetrahmen
- Kooperationspartner:innen vorstellen: Wenn sie für den Design-Prozess relevant sind
- Freigabe-Prozesse definieren: Wie und wo findet die Übergabe statt plus wer gibt das finale OK?
- Grundton des Projekts: Wie ist die Atmosphäre, in der sich das Projekt bewegen soll (wagemutig, jung, wissenschaftlich, technisch versiert, bodenständig …)?
3. design details
- Übermittlung von Assets: Hausschrift (Font), Corporate Design Manual, Farbpalette, Texte, Fotos und – falls vorhanden – Archivmaterial von vorangegangenen Projekten
- Das gewünschte Format in präzisen Zahlen präsentieren
- Sollen Farben des Mitbewerbs vermieden werden oder hat die Chefetage eine Lieblingsfarbe bzw. Farben, die total verachtet werden?
- Optische Anmutung des Projekts: Edel, minimalistisch, bold, verspielt oder farbenfroh … Dafür bietet sich ein Moodboard auf Pinterest excellent!
- Design-Vorlagen vom Brand Portal zur Orientierung
- Negativbeispiele: So sollte das Design auf keinen Fall aussehen
"Lichtfahrer:innen" are now presented here at the end of the text with the possibility of the Downloads of a briefing template rewarded. Have a good trip!
