How to Brief a Graphic Designer (Get Exactly What You Want)
One of the most frustrating experiences in working with a designer is receiving something completely different from what you imagined. The culprit is almost always a weak or unclear brief. A design brief is the document or conversation that tells your designer everything they need to create the right design for you. Here is how to write one that works.
What Is a Design Brief?
A design brief is a document or structured conversation that outlines the goals, requirements, audience, style preferences, and deliverables for a design project. It is your designer's roadmap — the more detailed and clear it is, the closer the first draft will be to what you envisioned.
What to Include in Your Design Brief
1. Who Are You and What Does Your Business Do?
Give the designer context. Explain what your business offers, who your customers are, and what makes you different from competitors. A logo for a luxury wedding photographer needs to feel very different from a logo for a budget printing shop.
2. What Do You Need Designed?
Be specific. "I need a logo" is okay. "I need a primary logo, a monogram version for small uses, and a horizontal version for letterheads" is excellent. List every deliverable you expect.
3. Who Is Your Target Audience?
Age, gender, income level, cultural background, and interests all influence design decisions. A design aimed at 20-year-old college students will look dramatically different from one aimed at 50-year-old professionals.
4. What Style or Mood Do You Want?
Use descriptive words: modern, traditional, playful, elegant, bold, minimal, warm, corporate, handcrafted, luxurious. Better yet, share reference images — logos, cards, or designs you love. Visual references communicate style far better than words.
5. Do You Have Existing Brand Elements?
If you already have a logo, specific brand colors (provide HEX codes), or fonts you use, share them. The designer needs to work within or complement your existing brand.
6. What Is Your Deadline?
Be realistic about timelines. Rushed projects often produce suboptimal results. If you have a hard deadline (e.g., a printing deadline for an event), state it clearly so the designer can plan accordingly.
7. What Is Your Budget?
Designers appreciate knowing the budget upfront. It helps them set expectations, plan their scope of work, and avoid proposing solutions that are out of range.
What NOT to Do in a Brief
- Do not say "just make it look nice" — be specific about what nice means to you
- Do not share 20 conflicting reference images — curate 3–5 that genuinely represent your vision
- Do not change the brief significantly mid-project — it invalidates all the work done
- Do not give feedback like "I don't like it" — explain specifically what is not working and why
At Ascribe Design, we guide every client through our briefing process to ensure we understand your vision perfectly before picking up a single tool. Start your project with us today.
