Let me tell you a secret that most designers won't say out loud: we can tell within the first five minutes of reading your brief whether this project is going to go smoothly or turn into a struggle.
I've seen the good, the bad, and the "I need this by tomorrow but I'm not sure what I want" briefs. The difference between a project that exceeds expectations and one that ends in endless revisions? It almost always comes down to the quality of the initial brief.
Here's the thing: a good brief isn't just helpful for the designer. It's your roadmap to getting exactly what you want, saving time, avoiding costly revisions, and building a productive working relationship. Let's talk about what designers actually need from you—practical insights from someone who's experienced working with bad briefs, or no briefs at all.
Why the Brief Matters More Than You Think
Before we dive into the how-to, let's talk about why this matters. A study by the Design Management Institute found that design-led companies outperformed the S&P 500 by 219% over ten years. But here's what that statistic doesn't tell you: those results come from effective collaboration between clients and designers, and that collaboration starts with the brief.
When you provide an incomplete brief, you're essentially asking your designer to be a mind reader. The result? Multiple rounds of revisions, missed deadlines, budget overruns, and frustration on both sides. According to research, unclear project requirements are responsible for up to 37% of project failures.
Conversely, when you nail the brief, magic happens. Your designer can focus their creative energy on solving your actual problem instead of guessing what you want. Projects move faster, results are better, and everyone's happier.
The Anatomy of a Great Design Brief
Let's break down what designers actually need to know. Think of this as your essential checklist.
- The Business Context
Start with the big picture. Designers aren't just pixel pushers—we're problem solvers. To solve your problem, we need to understand your business.
What to include:
- What does your company do, and who do you serve?
- What's your market position? (Are you the premium option, the budget-friendly choice, the innovative disruptor?)
- Who are your main competitors?
- What's your current brand perception vs. where you want to be?
Let’s take a look a the real examples now:
The Bad Brief:
"We're a tech company. We need a new logo."
The Good Brief:
"We're a B2B SaaS company that provides inventory management software for small to medium-sized retailers. We've been operating for three years and have 150 clients. Our main competitors are TradeGecko and Cin7, but we stand out by offering more personalized customer support and simpler onboarding. Currently, we're perceived as 'functional but forgettable'—our branding was DIY when we launched. We want to be seen as reliable, approachable, and professional without appearing corporate or intimidating to small business owners."
See the difference? The second brief gives context that helps the designer understand not just what you need, but why you need it.
The Project Goals and Objectives
This is where many briefs fall apart. Clients often describe what they want to create instead of what they want to achieve.
What to include:
- What specific problem are you trying to solve?
- What does success look like? (Be specific—not "increase brand awareness" but "increase brand recognition among 25-40-year-old entrepreneurs by 30% within six months")
- What business metrics will this design impact?
- Are there any secondary goals?
Examples:
The Bad Brief:
"We need our website redesigned because it looks outdated."
The Good Brief: "Our website was built five years ago and is hurting our conversion rate. Currently, only 1.2% of visitors become leads, while industry average is 2.5-3%. User testing revealed that visitors find our site confusing to navigate and don't trust us because the design looks unprofessional. Our primary goal is to increase lead conversion to at least 2.5% within three months of launch. Secondary goals include reducing bounce rate from 68% to under 50% and increasing time on site."
The good brief transforms "make it pretty" into "solve this specific business problem," which is exactly how designers must think.
Target Audience Deep Dive
Here's where you really help your designer create something that connects. Remember we're not designing for YOU—we're designing for your CUSTOMERS.
What to include:
- Who is your primary audience? (Demographics: age, location, income, education)
- What are their psychographics? (Values, interests, pain points, behaviors)
- How do they currently perceive your brand or interact with your business?
- What motivates them? What are their concerns?
- Include real customer quotes if you have them
Examples:
The Bad Brief:
"Our target audience is millennials who like sustainable products."
The Good Brief: "Our primary audience is environmentally conscious women aged 28-42, primarily living in urban areas, with household income of $60-120K. They're already buying sustainable products but are frustrated by greenwashing and unclear sourcing. They value transparency over perfection—they'd rather know the truth about environmental impact than hear marketing fluff. They're willing to pay 20-30% more for genuinely sustainable options. One customer told us: 'I don't need you to be perfect, I just need to know you're honest about where you're at and where you're going.' They typically discover brands through Instagram and recommendations from friends, and they're highly likely to share brands they trust."
This level of detail helps designers make informed decisions about everything from color to tone and visual style.
Timeline and Budget Reality Check
Here's where we must be honest: incomplete briefs and unrealistic timelines are the top two pain points for designers.
What to include:
- When do you actually need this? (And be honest—if you need it in two weeks, say so upfront, not three days before your fake deadline)
- Are there any hard deadlines we can't miss? (Product launch, event date, etc.)
- What's your budget range?
- What are your priorities if budget or timeline becomes tight? (Quality, speed, or scope—pick two)
And more examples:
The Bad Brief: "We need this ASAP. We're flexible on budget."
The Good Brief: "We're launching our new product line on March 15th, which is a hard deadline we cannot move—it's tied to a trade show. We'd ideally like to see initial concepts by February 20th to allow time for revisions. Our budget for this project is $5,000-7,000. If timing gets tight, our priority is meeting the deadline with strong work—we're willing to reduce scope (fewer deliverables) before compromising on quality. We understand that rush timelines may require rush fees."
Notice how the good brief acknowledges reality? Designers respect clients who are upfront about constraints rather than making surprises later.
Brand Guidelines and Design Direction
This is where you help your designer understand your aesthetic preferences without micromanaging.
What to include:
- Existing brand guidelines (if you have them)
- Examples of designs you love (and specifically what you love about them)
- Examples of designs you dislike (and why)
- Any mandatory brand elements (specific colors, fonts, logo usage)
- Adjectives that describe your desired look and feel
- Any absolute no-gos
Examples:
The Bad Brief: "We want something modern and clean. Make it pop but keep it professional."
The Good Brief: "We want to convey: approachable, trustworthy, forward-thinking, human (not corporate).
Design inspiration we love:
- Stripe's website: Clean, confident, uses space well without feeling empty
- Mailchimp's illustrations: Playful without being childish
- Notion's color palette: Soft, sophisticated neutrals with strategic color pops
What we want to avoid:
- Anything that feels too corporate/banking industry (cold blues, overly serious)
- Overly trendy design that will look dated in two years
- Cutesy or overly playful (we're B2B, not B2C lifestyle brand)
Our existing brand colors are navy (#1A365D) and coral (#FF6B6B), which we'd like to keep. We're open to expanding the palette if needed. We don't have official fonts yet—that's something we're hoping you'll recommend."
This gives direction without eliminating creativity. You're sharing the "why" behind your preferences, this way the designer will feel confident sharing better suggestions from a professional perspective, if needed.
Common Brief Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Mistake #1: The "I'll Know It When I See It" Approach
What clients say: "I can't really describe what I want, but I'll know it when I see it!"
Why it's a problem: This puts all the risk on the designer. We end up creating concept after concept, hoping to find what's in your head. It's inefficient and discouraging.
The fix: You don't need to know exactly what you want, but you should be able to explain:
- What problem you're solving
- How you want people to feel
- What you definitely don't want
- Examples of designs that are in the right direction
Mistake #4: The False Deadline
What happens: You say you need something in one week but actually need it in one month, thinking this will make the designer work faster.
Why it's a problem: Designers either: (a) charge rush fees unnecessarily, (b) put aside other work for your "emergency," then feel manipulated when the urgency was fake, or (c) deliver rushed work when they could have delivered better work.
The fix: Be honest about real deadlines. If you want something sooner, say "ideally by X date, but must-have by Y date" and be willing to discuss rush fees if needed.
Mistake #5: Hiding the Budget
What clients say: "What's your pricing? I don't want to share our budget because I don't want to influence your quote."
Why it's a problem: A logo package can range from $500 to $50,000 depending on scope. Without budget context, the designer has to guess whether you want the basic version or the premium package. You waste everyone's time if the proposals don't match your budget reality.
The fix: Share a range. "Our budget for this project is $5,000-8,000" or "We're a small business with a tight budget, likely under $2,000." This helps the designer propose realistic solutions for your budget.
Your Brief Template: A Practical Checklist
PROJECT OVERVIEW
-Company/organization background
-What you do and who you serve
-Your market position and main competitors
-Current brand perception vs. desired perception
PROJECT GOALS
-What specific problem are you solving?
-What does success look like? (Specific, measurable)
-What business metrics will this impact?
-Secondary goals
TARGET AUDIENCE
-Primary audience demographics
-Audience psychographics (values, behaviors, pain points)
-Current perceptions and interactions
-Motivations and concerns
-Real customer quotes or insights
SCOPE & DELIVERABLES
-Specific deliverables needed (be detailed)
-Required formats and sizes
-Number of concepts/revision rounds
-What's included vs. additional scope
TIMELINE & BUDGET
-Ideal completion date
-Hard deadlines (and why)
-Budget range
-Priority order (quality, speed, or scope)
DESIGN DIRECTION
-Existing brand guidelines
-Design examples you love (and why)
-Designs to avoid (and why)
-Mandatory brand elements
-Desired look/feel adjectives
-Absolute no-gos
PROJECT LOGISTICS
-Main point of contact
-Approval process and decision-makers
-Preferred communication method
-Update frequency
-Assets you'll provide
-Technical requirements/constraints
Final Thoughts From the Designer's Desk
Look, I get it. You're busy. You're doing a million things. Taking the time to write a thorough brief feels like just one more task on an endless to-do list.
But here's what I want you to understand: a good brief isn't busywork. It's not a favor to your designer. It's the most important thing you can do to ensure your project's success.
Every time designer receives a thorough, well-thought-out brief, he feels respected as a professional. He feels excited about the project. So he understands the challenge, knows the constraints, and can't wait to start solving the problem.
When I receive a two-sentence brief, my heart sinks. I know this project is going to be difficult, filled with assumptions and misaligned expectations, and frustration.
You have the power to choose which type of project yours will be.
The next time you need to work with a designer, take the time to create a brief that sets everyone up for success. Your designer will thank you, your project will turn out better, and you'll actually enjoy the process.
Because great design isn't just about talent, it's about collaboration. And collaboration starts with communication. And communication starts with a brief that gives your designer everything they need to do their best work for you.
Now go forth and write some amazing briefs. Your designer is waiting and hoping for them.
Contents
.png)
.png)