A bad design brief is open to interpretation. And that poses a problem.
When innovating, you’re asking your design partner to balance multiple competing factors, so they can prioritise accordingly.
To do this well requires clarity and context. Otherwise, you risk your design team determining the importance of each feature and misinterpreting your priorities.
When you construct your initial design brief, consider the essentials:
It’s part of your design house’s job to get this clarity and context by bringing everyone together for a shared understanding of what’s most important. That’s how you identify what is necessary and is non-essential so features are prioritised and compromises made.
Try one of our approaches by asking three questions:
These are your product fundamentals. The things you won’t compromise.
You’re still aiming to include these features. Their non-presence requires a justification.
Features in this category are your nice-to-haves.
Asking these three questions builds a better brief and clearer understanding for all involved. Inevitably, this means a stronger design and a smoother transition from the first design stage through to the final result.
Join Simple Design Works and the Marches Growth Hub at an event on Tuesday 26 March to make you think and act differently about innovation in a tough economy.
You’ve found a gap in the market, but is there a market in the gap? We talk about testing, refining and validating your concepts quickly without spending a fortune on R&D.
We provide practical advice for businesses trying to become more circular to eliminate waste, extend product life, repurpose products and materials, and regenerate nature.
