The quality of your creative brief directly determines the quality of the work you receive. A vague brief wastes everyone's time — the designer makes assumptions, you're disappointed with the result, and multiple revision rounds burn through your budget. Here's the framework we recommend to every client.
Why Most Briefs Fail
The most common briefing mistake is describing the solution instead of the problem. 'I want a blue website with large photos' tells the designer what to make, but not why. Without understanding the business objective, the target audience, and the desired outcome, even a technically excellent design can miss the mark entirely.
The Five Essential Elements of a Great Brief
1. The Objective — What Should This Achieve?
Start with the business goal, not the deliverable. 'Increase lead enquiries by 20%' is more useful than 'redesign the homepage.' The objective gives the creative team a success metric to design against.
2. The Audience — Who Is This For?
Describe your target audience in specific, human terms. Instead of 'business owners,' try 'marketing managers at mid-sized construction firms who are frustrated with their outdated website.' The more specific you are, the more targeted the design.
3. The Context — What Exists Today?
Share your current brand guidelines, existing assets, competitor examples, and anything you've tried before. Reference materials save the designer hours of guesswork and significantly reduce revision rounds.
4. The Deliverables — What Do You Need?
Be specific about formats, sizes, and quantities. 'Social media graphics' is vague. '5 Instagram carousel posts at 1080x1080, plus 2 LinkedIn banner variations at 1584x396' is actionable. Include any technical requirements like file formats, colour modes, or platform specifications.
5. The Timeline — When Is It Needed?
Include both the final deadline and any interim milestones. If there's a hard deadline (product launch, event, campaign start date), say so. If it's flexible, say that too. This helps the team prioritise and plan their workload effectively.
Pro Tip: Voice Notes Are Underrated
At Flex Tech Design, many of our best briefs come through WhatsApp voice notes. Clients explain what they need in 60 seconds of natural speech, and our team transcribes and structures the information. It's faster than writing, captures nuance better than bullet points, and works perfectly when you're on the go — even from a construction site.
With Flex Tech Design, you don't need to be a briefing expert. Our project managers are trained to extract the right information through a quick conversation. Send us a rough idea via WhatsApp, the portal, or email — and we'll turn it into a structured brief for your approval before work begins.