Design briefs are an essential part of every successful design project’s workflow. They align everyone involved on the purpose, milestones, and end goals of the project.
A design brief can take many forms, depending on the project's needs and the preferences of the team.
A well-written design brief is like a roadmap:
On the other hand, a design brief that contains nonessential information and gaping holes causes even the best designers to struggle to do great work. Even worse, running a project without a design brief results in chaos with countless phone calls, ping-pong email threads, and lack of clarity on design direction and project milestones.
In this guide, we'll explain the benefits and show you how to create a design brief that helps make your projects successful. We’ll give you valuable insights on what to include, tips for success, and even examples and templates to get you started on your next graphic design project.
A design brief is a short document — typically one or two pages — that explains the strategy for a design project’s visual direction and aesthetic. It also outlines the goals of the project and maps out the plan for how your design team will get there. A design brief is created during the planning stage to guide the design process. This plan can include the number of versions and design mockups expected over the course of the design project, a visual mood board and design inspiration examples, branding guidelines for the design team, and expected delivery dates.
A design brief is a type of creative brief, which typically encompasses all the possible elements of a creative project. A well-prepared design brief creates a structured plan for the project, helping to align the team and stakeholders.
The main focus of the design brief should be on the results and outcomes of the design concepts and visual direction. The core details of a design brief include goals, scope, expectations, and project requirements. It should also relate that design vision to the business objectives of the project. In other words, it allows the client to focus on what they want to achieve before any design work starts on the project.
Finally, the client and design team usually sign off on the brief at set milestones in the project to ensure everything remains on track.
While a design brief and a project brief are similar in guiding projects, a project brief often covers broader project objectives and stakeholders, whereas a design brief focuses specifically on the visual and creative aspects.
Starting a new project with an effective design brief is beneficial to both clients and designers, as it provides a comprehensive and well-structured foundation for the project. For example, a design brief:
Various opinions exist, but most designers would expect an initial design brief from the client. Writing a design brief can be done by the client, the designer, or a design agency. From there, it can become a working document that gets approved by both parties. Options include:
With large companies, a Company Director, Marketing Manager, or Marketing Executive typically writes the design brief. In smaller companies, the business owner usually writes it. Regardless of the company size, the design brief should capture the client's unique needs, goals, and branding requirements to ensure the project aligns with the client's business objectives.
Sometimes the brief is written by the designer rather than the client. Designers typically use a standard template to ensure they have all the information they need to start the work.
A third option involves the client and designer collaborating on the brief. This allows both parties to clarify goals and objectives, get input from stakeholders, and sign-off quicker.
Both parties should have a vested interest in making an accurate design brief and getting sign off before any design work starts. The client has to initiate the process, even if it's asking a designer to meet and discuss the project so they can get ideas down. Some designers will have a standard template they'll ask clients to complete first and then flesh it out with more details in a meeting.
Whomever writes the design brief needs to create a clear picture of the requirements. Defining the design task at the outset ensures effective communication between clients and designers and guides the entire project.
Design briefs can come in different styles and formats. But a good design brief outlines the deliverables and scope of the project, including any outcomes, timing, and budget.
Design briefs are used across a wide range of projects including those in the fields of architecture, interior design, fashion design, and industrial design, as well as graphic design, web design, ecommerce, branding, and rebranding. A design brief is especially essential when starting a new design, as it helps clarify project goals and sets the direction for the creative process.
Depending on the nature of the project and the client requirements, there might be slightly different sections, but a good design brief generally includes:
Let’s look at each element in more detail.
Always include an overview of the client’s business so all stakeholders are familiar with the brand and what it stands for. Conducting an in-depth analysis of the client's business and brand ensures a comprehensive understanding of their unique position, target audience, and design needs.
Key elements to include in this section:
Questions to address:
This section should include:
Both need to be specific and measurable so that you can evaluate the success or failure of the project. Clear project goals are essential for a successful project, as they help define what needs to be achieved and set the criteria for measuring success. For example:
To build a thorough brief, address questions such as:
It’s essential to understand the target audience and market for the design. Understanding your target market by analyzing demographics and psychographics ensures your design and marketing strategies are tailored for better engagement and conversion.
For example, a website designed for teenagers will look and work differently than one designed for corporate decision makers.
Determine what outcome will resonate with your intended audience by considering questions such as:
Note: If the client doesn’t have this information or more is required, you may need additional budget dollars.
Knowing the brand's competition helps inform the design process and clarify the strategy. For example, what works for your competitors will likely work for you, but you need to know how to stand out from the crowd.
Make a list of direct and indirect competitors. For example, when launching its watch, Apple listed competitors as:
Implement competitive intelligence into your brief by outlining answers to these questions:
Clients don't have to provide creative direction — the design team will handle that. However, it's good to list what to include or exclude.
Include any reference materials:
Uncover what your client has in mind by asking these discovery questions:
Both parties need to have a clear understanding of the expected outcome. Make sure expectations are set on both sides.
Include any of the following details about your deliverables:
Get on the same page as your client by asking outcome-based questions such as:
Clients need to state when they want to start and complete the project. If timescales don't fit with the designer's other commitments, it could be a non-starter.
Aside from starting and finishing the project, there will be other milestones along the way like concepts, final designs, development work, and reviews. Clients also need to account for providing their timely feedback throughout the project — otherwise, they could end up delaying the process and missing deadlines.
In short, both parties need to be realistic and flexible to account for potential changes or unexpected obstacles to project timescales.
Determine a timeline by asking:
Both the client and the designer need to be aware of the budget and constraints before the work commences.
The project budget has to align with project deliverables to avoid the possibility of scope creep.
Don't avoid the subject. Discuss it as soon as possible so both parties know what to expect.
Questions to address:
In this section, list all the key stakeholders, contributors, and points of contact within the project with their assigned roles. You'll need a primary point of contact for the project, plus a person responsible for the final sign-off on all project deliverables.
Make sure to list all the details, including their name, email address, and phone number. Remember to include any third-parties involved in the project, such as copywriters or web developers.
Questions to address:
A design brief template is an indispensable resource for any project, as it provides a structured framework that outlines the project overview, project scope, deliverables, and essential elements needed for success. By using a well-written template, designers and clients can ensure every aspect of the project is clearly defined from the outset, reducing the risk of miscommunication and scope creep.
A comprehensive template typically includes sections for the project overview, target audience, design requirements, timelines, and budget. This approach allows designers to create a clear picture of the project’s objectives and ensures all stakeholders agree throughout the entire design process.
By documenting all the details in a standardized format, the design team can easily reference the project’s goals, track progress, and make informed design decisions. A well-written brief not only streamlines communication but also serves as a valuable reference point for future projects, making it easier to replicate successful outcomes. Ultimately, creating and using a template is one of the most important steps in delivering effective design projects that meet both creative and business objectives.
Incorporating visual inspiration into your design brief is a powerful way to communicate your design vision and set the tone for the entire project. One of the most effective tools for this purpose is a mood board: a curated collection of images, colors, textures, and design elements that together express the desired look and feel of the final design.
By including a mood board in your design brief, you provide the design team and stakeholders with a tangible reference point for the project’s creative direction. This not only helps clarify design concepts but also ensures that everyone involved shares a unified understanding of the project’s goals. Mood boards can reveal valuable insights about what resonates with the target audience and help identify potential design problems before they arise.
For designers, a mood board serves as a creative springboard, inspiring new ideas and guiding design decisions throughout the project. For clients, it offers reassurance that the final design will align with their expectations and brand guidelines. Whether you’re working on a website, graphic design, or any other creative project, incorporating visual inspiration into your brief is an essential step in achieving a cohesive and successful design outcome.
The examples above give you a sense of structure, but what if you need to see how different teams approach a brief from scratch? The links below point to actual briefs or templates used by design, SaaS, and creative teams. Use them to compare formats, spot what’s missing in your own process, or just get unstuck.
Adam Fard – UX design brief example
This Notion-based brief walks through a UX problem, design objectives, audience needs, and scope — all in a modular, easy-to-follow format. Perfect for product designers or UX strategists.
Spigot (via Eleken) – SaaS design brief walkthrough
A clear, business-oriented brief that covers value props, user personas, functional requirements, and even competitor analysis. Great for SaaS companies, founders, or startup marketers.
Ziflow – Plug-and-play design brief template
Ziflow offers a free template designed for agencies and internal creative teams. It focuses on intake clarity, campaign objectives, deadlines, and approval workflows.
When possible, add screenshots directly into your briefs and annotate them with notes on what to replicate — like a clear “what we’re solving” section or visual style inspiration. This helps your team stay aligned and reduces the back-and-forth.
Clear and detailed briefs are essential for any successful design project as they benefit both the client and the design team by:
The information you include in a design brief and how you manage the approval of the design plans can make or break your design project. Before you begin creative production, be sure to:
Ziflow is the perfect tool for successful sign-off of design briefs by the client and design team, as all stakeholders get real-time updates and notifications throughout the review and approval process. Learn more about using Ziflow's creative collaboration platform to review and approve your design projects from brief to final version.