It takes a lot of planning to make a website. If you want to make sure that you get the design you want, you need to create a design brief. A design brief is basically information that contains the overview of the design project. The brief should focus on the goals your website should achieve through the design. By creating a web design brief, you or your web designer will be able to get a strong idea of what the outcome should be and maintain a clear direction on where to take the project. Here are eight ways to make an effective design brief.
- Start with the Goals and Objectives
The very first thing you need to do is to figure out what the goal of the website. Is the goal to rebrand the site to target a bigger audience or refresh the company’s image? Is the goal to turn the website into a lead generation vehicle? You need to know the destination before you begin the journey. Then, you need to map out your goals with objectives. Figure out the steps or elements that need to be in place to get to the goal. For example, if the goal is to acquire more customers, then the objectives to help get to this goal may include creating an engaging design, crafting an effective lead generation page and making the site user friendly.
- Create a Budget
The budget will always be something you need to think about. Even if you’re designing a website yourself, you may need to outsource various aspects of design. This can include everything from conversion rate optimization, video production to a brand redesign. If you are working with a designer, you need to be clear on what your budget is. Get an idea of what you can afford to spend on the project and see how it fits in with the designer’s fees. You’ll need to make adjustments on what can be done based on your budget.
- Set Schedules and Milestones
Do you have a deadline you have to meet? It takes time to make a website, so you need to be clear about when you need the project to be 100% completed. In order to keep track of how the projects moves forward, you should work with your designer to set clear milestones. This involves you breaking up the project into different parts and having an expected date of when each part should be completed by. By setting milestones, you can make adjustments and changes as the project progresses. This also gives you or the designer the motivation to stay dedicated to the project. This will ensure that the vision of your design is met and met on time.
- Define the Audience
What market and audience are you trying to reach? This information will have a heavy influence on how your website will look. For example, if you’re targeting dog owners, then the design should obviously reflect that in some form or manner. Sometimes, it’s not as simple as it looks. You may have a tech product/service and need to meet the aesthetics that appeal to the users. As a result, it takes a lot of time to figure out how to create a design that appeals to the target audience.
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- Attach Materials to be Included
If you’re working with a designer, you have to make sure that you attach any materials required for the project. This can be anything from your logo, product images, brand accents, social media icons, to personal photos. You should also go into detail on how each material should be used. Don’t assume that the designer will know what to do with the materials. That will almost always end up in your materials being used incorrectly.
- Ideas for Different Styles
There are many different styles that you can aim for with your website. The list can include animation, flat, sketch, vintage and minimalist design. There are also different things you can do such as transparent images, parallax, animated images, etc. Come up with a list of ideas that you’d like to use for your web design. Weigh the different options and your budget and think of the best style that would with the given circumstances.
- Find Real Life Examples
The best way to make sure that the vision of your website is realized is to collect real life examples that you or your designer can work with. Start building a list of websites that is inspiring to you. Make sure you write down notes on what aspects of the design that you like. By collecting these examples, you’ll be able to build a vision for your website. You can model your websites after all the elements that you like to create something that fits into your goals.
- Define Things NOT To Do
It’s just as important to tell your designer what NOT to do as it is to tell him what to do. Come up with a list of things that you absolutely don’t want for your web design. That will help steer your designer in the right direction. You want to make sure that you’re not over-meticulous about the instructions as it will feel restrictive to the designer. Don’t worry about every single detail and focus on the greater vision you have for the project.
Those are some of the most important things that you include in your web design brief. You want the brief to be as detailed, organized and clear as possible. That way, you can expect a final draft that close to what you’re looking for. You’ll also ensure that your project stays on budget and is completed on time.
