The Seamstress Design Brief

The Seamstress — Design Brief

Thank you so much for taking the time to fill this in. If you’ve never filled in a design brief before, here are some resources to help get you started: http://seamstress.net.au/why-write-a-design-brief/ http://www.cleardesignuk.com/design-brief.html http://www.davidairey.com/10-tips-for-writing-graphic-design-briefs/

The following design brief is broken down into several categories: • About you • About your audience • About the project • About the project's key message • About the project's details

If you find that some of these questions have no relevance to you, feel free to leave them aside – I'll clarify things with you if I need further info.

Time permitting, take all the time you need – this may raise questions you haven't considered, and that's ok, it's designed to get you thinking strategically about your goals.

About you

Tell me about your brand. Give me a background. What services, products, art and / or interests do you create, provide and / or represent?

What are the main objectives of your brand?

What values and voice does your brand currently reflect? Are there other qualities your brand is striving to represent?

Brand Voice... Brand Values...

If you had only a maximum of ten key words, how would you describe your brand's attributes to your audience?

Eg. artisan, expressive, saavy...

What are your strengths and opportunities?

What are your threats and weaknesses?

... What are your goals for the next twelve months?

What are your biggest goals? What stands in your way?

What are your current brand guidelines? Do you have any in place? How crucial is it to retain your current look and feel?

Think about your existing brands visual communications. Have you received any positive and / or negative feedback?

Eg. Website user experience, marketing messages, brand differentiation

Please list your competition. Provide website links where possible.

How does your brand differentiate among your competitors?

About your audience

Describe your target audience. What demographics, characteristics do you know about them? List, if you have a primary, secondary, third market. Tell me about their age, sex, income level, location, occupation, purchasing habits, the issues they may face around your product / service.

Have you conducted research relating to your target audience?

Eg. Website analysis, focus groups, surveys, feedback

How do your clients / customers / audience benefit from your brand?

Explain how your clients / customers / audience experiences your brand.

What do your clients / customers / audience say about your brand? How do they perceive you?

Eg. voice, values, user benefits, user experience, reasons to buy / support

... About the project

What is the design problem? Provide me with a summary of the project. What are the main reasons for commissioning and undertaking this project?

Eg. We're a national organisation that was a pioneer in the mental health sphere ten years ago. Today there are many more organisations doing similar work and we need to renew and re-distinguish ourselves as the category leader. We are planning to redesign our brand and are in need of the consultation, guidelines and graphic elements in order to implement this.

How did this design problem arise?

What are the goals you are planning to achieve by addressing the design problem?

Eg. Financial Gains / An Investment / Recognition / Audience Interaction

What are the project deliverables that you believe will address the design problem? What are we creating?

Eg. Branding Guidelines PDF Document, Logo Update, New Colour Palette, Design Elements, Illustrations x 5 for marketing materials, an A4 Advertising Flyer template, Stationery update, website redesign etc.

What does success look like to you? How will you measure the project's success?

Eg. Mailing list campaign & website traffic. Online and offline campaign & increase in use of services.

About the project's key message

What is the key message you wish your audience to take away from this project? How do you want them to react / feel / act?

About the project's details

What is your timeframe for this project? Are there any key dates or outside factors that deadlines will need to be adhered to?

... How many contacts are involved in this project? Is there a final decision–maker or group of key decision–makers? Will there be other people involved in the process? Please provide a list of key contacts and their contact details.

Eg. investors / other departments / management etc?

Are there any mandatory items required?

Please provide any assets (logos / images etc) that are to be included in the project. High Resolution is preferable: PDF, JPG, PSD, AI, EPS files at 300dpi are best.

Is there text / copy in the project?

Please provide all text once it has been finalised and proof–read. Showing clear hierarchy of text is also helpful. Word or PDF files are accepted.

Do you have any samples / inspiration you would like to share?

Visual aids can help assist me to understand your needs as well. Please send through anything you feel helps you explain the project – screenshots, links, scans, sketches, inspiration etc. Please send these with your brief.

About the things Nat may have missed

Please let me know if you have any additional information relevant to the project.

Oh! Thank goodness this part's over!

Please send this brief and any supporting material back to me via email — [email protected]

I'll get back to you shortly with any questions I may need clarification on. Cheers!