Analyse design needs

Needs analysis

Before you start any design analysis, you need to have a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve and the boundaries and constraints of your project. This will help you focus your questions and define your criteria. Your design analysis aims to understand your customers and inform your design process. You should use your findings to generate ideas, prototype solutions, test assumptions, and iterate improvements. You should also revisit your scope and objectives and evaluate your solutions against them.

Achieving good design takes more than simply time and talent. It brings clarity to a specific goal. For that reason, the design process is crucial because the disciplined approach guides you towards a clear and meaningful goal for your design work. The design process is a tool that helps you break down larger projects into more miniature, easier-to-handle stages. It looks something like this.

There are specific steps that you need to address. Click on the headings to explore more.

It is essential to keep going back and reviewing your work for your client. This is evident in the following infographic. As you can see, this is a constantly intertwined model of working.

For you as a designer to do the best job you can, first, it's crucial to understand precisely what the design task requires. This is where the design brief comes in. When done correctly, it becomes a vital communication tool for your design project. With a brief, you have a single guiding document for your entire design process.

Communicating a clear and concise design brief is essential for a successful design project. It ensures everyone is on the same page, minimises revisions, and sets you up for creating something that truly meets your needs.

What is a design brief?

A design brief is a document that defines the core details of your upcoming design project, including its goals, scope, and strategy. It needs to determine what you, as a designer, must do and within what constraints. In many ways, it works like a roadmap or a blueprint, informing design decisions and guiding the overall workflow of your project from conception to completion.

Most importantly, a well-crafted brief should help you ensure full stakeholder agreement on project deliverables, budget, and schedule.

Watch this video

It discusses a design brief. (7:00)

A design brief is a project management document outlining the specifics of a design project. There's no standard of what to include, but some common points are the design project overview and scope, timelines, target audience information, and budget.

A design brief is the source of your project's truth and guides your overall direction. It's like a roadmap or blueprint guiding you, the designer, from start to finish, ensuring everyone is on the same page. A well-defined brief helps you to focus on the right tasks and deliver great work.

What to include in a design brief

The project overview section of your brief should provide a clear and concise description of your design project. It should cover the what and why behind your project.

You can formulate this section by asking yourself or your client the following questions:

• What are we building?
• What design problem are we trying to solve?
• What assets are expected after the project?

One of the most essential steps in planning a design project and writing your design brief is aligning what you (or your client) want to achieve with the new design. Make a distinction between goals and objectives.

Goals describe the project's overall purpose, while objectives are concrete measures of success in reaching a goal. The more specific and unambiguous these are in the project brief, the more precise the path will be for your work. Here are some questions that may help get clarity on project goals and objectives:

• What would an ideal outcome look like for this project?
• Are you redesigning an existing artifact? Why?
• Is this the first time you are trying to tackle this design problem?

Target market or audience

Understanding your audience is the first step in addressing their needs in the best possible way. Take your ideal customer and build your persona around them. Outline their demographic traits and psychographic characteristics, as well as the problems you want to solve for them through your product.

• Who is your ideal customer?
• What are their demographics, habits, and goals?
• When and how will they be using your product?

Budget and schedule

Understanding the budget and agreeing to a timeline are critical steps in the briefing process. Clarifying these constraints and expectations upfront is necessary to keep the project on track and avoid conflicts and scope creep. The schedule and the budget should be realistic and flexible enough to account for potential changes or unexpected obstacles.

Try asking these questions to gather the information you need:

• What are the budget constraints on this project? How flexible are they?
• What internal deadlines does this project need to align with?
• What are the key milestones within the project?

Project deliverables

Aligning project deliverables is one of the core purposes of the design brief. Even a small misunderstanding can create major problems if not addressed immediately. Here are some questions that may help you clarify which deliverables you would need:

• What do you or your client expect to receive at the end of the project?
• What file formats should work be supplied in?
• What sizes and resolutions are needed?

Watch this video

It is how to nail your design brief every time. (8:14)

A well-crafted design brief considers the creative vision and legal and practical aspects that can prevent future roadblocks. Here are some key legal and other considerations to include in your design brief:

Intellectual Property (IP)

Ownership

The design brief should explicitly state who will own the copyright and other intellectual property rights to the final design. By default, the copyright typically belongs to the designer who created it. However, the brief can specify that ownership transfers to the client upon payment or completion of the project.

Existing IP

The brief should also address any existing intellectual property that might be incorporated into the design. This could include trademarks, logos, or copyrighted material you want the designer to use. Ensure you have the legal rights to use this existing IP. You might need licenses or permissions from the copyright holder.

Usages and Restrictions

This section of the design brief outlines where and how the client can use the design. You need to determine the following.

• Can the design be used on the client's website, marketing materials (brochures, social media posts), and merchandise?
• Can it be used for print or digital purposes? Is there a specific geographic location where the design can be used?

Modifications

Outline if the client can modify the design in the future and under what circumstances. You need to determine the following.

• Will the client be allowed to modify the design using design software or internal teams?
• You need to specify limitations requiring the approval for edits, as this can help maintain design quality.

Revisions and Approvals

Number of Revisions

Set a reasonable limit on the revisions included in the project cost. You need to determine the following.

• Specify a reasonable number of revision rounds included in the project cost. This helps manage expectations and prevents clients from requesting endless changes.
• Define what kind of revisions are included. Should they be minor tweaks (e.g., colour adjustments) or more substantial changes (e.g., completely different layout)?
• Outline how revisions will be requested and communicated. Will clients submit written feedback with specific changes, or will there be in-person meetings?

Approval Process

Define who has the final approval on the design and how approvals will be communicated. You need to determine the following.

• Specify how approvals will be communicated. Will it be through email, a formal sign-off document, or an online approval platform?
• Set deadlines for each revision round and final approval. This keeps the project moving forward on schedule.

Additional Considerations

Accessibility

If applicable, consider including accessibility guidelines for the design to ensure it's usable by everyone. You need to determine the following.

• Visual Impairments: Consider colour contrast, alternative text descriptions for images, and the ability to zoom in on text.
• Auditory Impairments: Include captions for videos, transcripts for audio content, and alternative ways to receive information (visuals).
• Motor Impairments: Ensure the design can be navigated using a keyboard or other assistive devices.
• Cognitive Impairments: Use clear and concise language, avoid complex layouts, and provide predictable navigation patterns.

Data Security

For projects involving user data, outline any data security requirements or regulations that must be followed. You need to include the following.

• Emphasise the importance of collecting and storing only the minimum amount of data necessary for the project's purpose.
• Acknowledge the need for ongoing security maintenance to address evolving threats and vulnerabilities.

Termination Clause

Include a clause outlining the process in case the project needs to be terminated before completion. You need to consider the following.

• Specify the reasons either party can terminate the agreement.
• State that the designer will be compensated for any work completed up to the termination date.
• Even after termination, both parties should maintain confidentiality of any sensitive information disclosed during the project.
• Outline the process for resolving any disagreements arising from the termination clause (e.g., mediation, arbitration).

Final Advice

• Be clear about what constitutes a revision: Distinguish between revisions and entirely new design concepts. If the client wants a completely different direction, it might be considered additional work outside the original scope.
• Document everything: Record all communication regarding revisions and approvals. This can be helpful if there are any disagreements later.
• Use version control: Utilise version numbering or clear naming conventions for design files to track changes made during revisions.
• By addressing these legal and other considerations in your design brief, you can avoid potential conflicts and ensure a smoother design process for you and the client.

Watch this video

It discusses the designer’s intellectual property and copyrights. (5:28)