Author: Neftaly Malatjie

A design brief is a written document for a design project developed by a person or team (the ‘designer’ or ‘design team’) in consultation with the ‘client’. They outline the deliverables and scope of the project including any products or works (function and aesthetics), timing and budget. They can be used for many projects including those in the fields of architecture, interior design and industrial design. Design briefs are also used to evaluate the effectiveness of a design after it has been produced and during the creation process to keep the project on track and on budget. Some firms rely on them more than others but there is a move towards greater accountability in the design process and thus many people find them most useful. They usually change over time and are adjusted as the project scope evolves. Often they are ‘signed off’ by the client and designer at set stages in the project.

A design brief may use the following layout:

1. Title page
2. Table of contents
3. History
   • Company history
4. Company Profile
   • Specializations
   • Designer Profile
   • Company Name
   • Past Accomplishments
5. Problem Statement
   • Problem Description
   • Constraints
   • Budget
   • Time
   • Needs of the Problem
6. Goals
   • What you plan to accomplish
     • Due dates
7. Solution Analysis
   • Risks/Benefits
   • Planned Solutions
   • Sketches
8. Synopsis
   • Evaluation
   • Conclusion/Summary

Normally the client gives the design project description to a designer or in some cases asks a designer to jointly prepare the brief. The brief includes detailed description about the theme of the project, target audience or the target user group, resources available, duration of the project, and finally budget of the project.

The design process is very difficult to follow in its true spirit in the actual professional work conditions. The designer in general and a graphic designer in particular are engaged in design process in four different situations. A designer can have an idea in his or her mind and then wants to pursue it to its fulfilment. In this situation a designer can enjoy full freedom to practice the design process truthfully. Secondly, a designer can be a freelancer and working with an individual client or with a company. In this case there is some freedom to the designer if the client does not influence and interfere in the process. However, in most of the cases the client will try to influence in the process. Thirdly, a designer may work in a design studio or an advertisement agency where the atmosphere is more conducive to design and only the head of the studio or agency has to interact with the client Here, a designer is free from administrative and other non-creative tasks. Fourthly, a designer works in a corporate set up or in a large set up where a designer has to interact with various other stakeholders at various levels. This is the most difficult situation where the designer has to struggle at various levels for the approval of the design. There are marketing personnel who will bring in the user feedback and the designer has to take it into account. Then there will be a hierarchical process of approvals in the management that a designer has to go through. A designer has to make multiple presentations for senior managers to the top management. There will be strict constraints of time, human and financial resources.

Golombisky, Kim, and Rebecca Hagen. White Space Is Not Your Enemy : A Beginner’s Guide to Communicating Visually Through Graphic, Web & Multimedia Design. Amsterdam ; Boston: Focal Press/Elsevier. *

See also Patterson (2004) under “Photography” and Block (2007), Mercado (2011) and Mascelli (1965) under “Movies and Video” below.

There are many different rules for designing visual aids, some of which will apply directly to different kinds of equipment. In general, sticking to the following guidelines will produce high quality visual images:

• use one simple idea for each visual;
• make the text and diagrams clear and readable;
• avoid cluttering the image;
• keep your images consistent (use the same font, titles, lay out etc. for each image);
• make sure your images are of a high quality (check for spelling and other errors).

Always remember that an audience should be able to understand a visual image in a matter of seconds.

Exhibits are visual displays designed to attract the attention of people passing by. After an exhibit has caught someone’s attention, it should interest them enough that they stay and learn more about a topic, view items, sample products or purchase something.

Exhibits can be as simple as a poster series in a store window, or as elaborate as a multimedia show in a booth at the fair. Effective exhibits:

• Attract attention.
• Summarize a single idea.
• Tell the visitor where to get more detailed information.
• Present a good image of your organization. Exhibits may also:
• Take a considerable amount of time to plan, build and maintain.
• Require extra set-up time, specialized help or special transportation to move them. • Require an attendant as well as maintenance or replacement parts if you use live animals, models, photographs or anything else that could be detached, handled or removed.