Design briefs come in all shapes and sizes and as it’s the start of most design projects it’s important to gain a good understanding of the job ahead. As a freelancer it’s a good idea to draw up a questionnaire type template that you can re-use per client but try not to make it too ridged as all jobs are different. Head over to Brighton based design agency The Unit to see their approach.
Here are a few more practical tips to help smooth the way:
Taking notes
I normally meet clients face-to-face to get the brief and I’ve found that trying to note down every single word is nuts. My hand-writing and spelling is bad enough without the added pressure of a full on “he said”, “I said” dialogue so I just tend to jot down keywords and comments and focus on actually listening to what’s being said.
Sketch
Ideas start popping into my head right from the get-go so I always mix a few simple wire-frame sketches into my notes to help with the process.
Be the customer
I always put myself in the customer/end-users shoes. It’s all very well getting briefed from the head of marketing and lead developer of new dating site for over 60′s but ultimately, what you produce will need to be loved an understood by those silver surfers.
Review
Before leaving your client take a quick look back at your notes and see if there is anything you missed. Now is a good time to take direct telephone numbers and email addresses of your clients too.
Don’t be afraid to ask more questions later
It always happens “I forgot to ask them about this..”. Before you contact to ask ‘one more thing’ it’s a good idea to write the question down and wait a while in case you remember a few more things to ask. Better to ask all those extra questions in one hit than pester with numerous calls through the day.
Archive
Keep your notes in the job bag for your project and archive them. It’s surprising how often you might want to look back at old notes for jobs that are long gone.
Those are just a few of my tips but would love to hear if anyone has any other nifty ways of getting a brief.
I had this as a points to note article. Thanks