The Design Brief

The client refers to the individual, organization, or entity that engages a designer to address a specific design problem. The client provides input, requirements, and feedback throughout the process.

The communication need is the fundamental challenge or problem that the client wants the designer to solve through visual communication. It goes beyond the final presentation format, such as a poster or website, and involves understanding and addressing the core issue the client is facing, whether it's branding, communication, need for a space or object, or particular experience. 

Purpose in design refers to the intended goal or objective that the design solution or presentation format aims to achieve. Design solutions can serve various purposes, including advertising, promoting, depicting, teaching, informing, identifying, or guiding. A single design may need to fulfill multiple purposes to effectively meet the communication need.

Context should outline the ways that the target audience or users will encounter the design solution or presentation format. It refers to the environment, setting, and conditions that influence how the audience perceives and interacts with the design. The context is crucial for creating a design that connects effectively with the intended audience.

The target audience or user represents the group of people for whom the design solution is created. The designer must be able to distinguish from the ideas and needs of the client while addressing the needs of the user. This includes individuals who will engage with or be impacted by the design. Designers conduct research to identify key characteristics, preferences, behaviors, and demographics to tailor the design to effectively communicate with a specific group. Designers may consider the use of a user profile to create a specific and targeted understanding of the ideal user. 

Constraints are limitations or restrictions that impact the design process. They can include factors such as budgetary constraints, time frames, specific client requests, issues of sustainability, cultural considerations, scale of needs, or other limitations that designers need to consider while developing solutions. Constraints play a role in guiding the design process and ensuring practical feasibility.

Presentation formats, or deliverables, refer to the final tangible outputs of the design solution that are presented to the client and audience. Understanding presentation formats is essential for meeting communication needs effectively.

Messages: Presentation formats include items like posters, packaging designs, logos, surface design, illustrations, and business cards.
Objects: Presentation formats include rendered presentation drawings for the target audience in isometric or perspective, for the client or manufacturer in third angle orthogonal, as well as prototypes to scale made from a variety of materials.
Environments: Presentation formats include rendered presentation drawings in the form of planometric or perspective drawings. Technical drawings in the form of plans, elevations, or cross sections. As well as 3D models in either manual or digital formats.
Experiences: Presentation formats will vary depending on the experience, but may include plans, web design or app interfaces, and formats used in environments.