Choose and work with a designer
Briefing a designer
The designer's job is to come up with specific, workable solutions for you. The more information you give them, the better the result they'll produce. This is where the design brief comes in.
Questions to ask yourself
Before drawing up a design brief you need to consider a range of questions that will inform it, eg:
- How does the design work connect with the strategic objectives of your business?
- What problem do you want to use design to solve?
- Do all your key people agree what the project's outcome should be?
- How will you know the project has succeeded?
- How long will the project take?
The designer's job is to come up with specific, workable solutions for you.
What your brief should cover
Your design brief should cover the key issues in a clear and concise way. This should include:
- Your business background. Who are your customers? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your strategic objectives?
- A clear description of the project and what you want to achieve. What are the project's objectives? How will the finished design be used?
- Any constraints on the design. Does it need to fit with any other designs? Are there any specific technical or legal requirements? What manufacturing processes will be used?
- Project management. Budgets and timetables, details of the internal team, how communications will be managed and how success will be measured.
- Establishing who owns the intellectual property rights to the designs being produced. See our guide on protecting intellectual property.
A brief should not be written in stone. It may need to change to reflect new circumstances and there should be flexibility on both sides to allow that to happen.
Subjects covered in this guide
- Introduction
- When to use a designer
- Build a design project team
- Find the right designer
- Briefing a designer
- Checklist: key issues to agree with your designer
- Manage your design project effectively
- Sign off your design project
- Checklist: managing a design project
- Here's how I chose and worked with a designer
Actions
- Design brief writing advice on the Design Council website - Opens in a new window
- Designer and design agency search on the British Design Innovation website - Opens in a new window
- Design protection advice on the Intellectual Property Office website - Opens in a new window
- European Union-wide design protection advice on the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market website - Opens in a new window
- UK design consultancy directory on the New Design Partners website - Opens in a new window
