A design brief is a short document that tells a designer or studio what you need, why you need it, who it is for, what success looks like and what constraints apply. One or two pages is enough. A good brief gets you accurate quotes, a faster start and far fewer revisions, because the team designs for your goals instead of guessing at them. Below are the 10 sections to include, a template you can copy, and examples of vague answers turned into useful ones.
Key takeaways
- A design brief explains what you need, why, for whom, and how success will be measured.
- One or two pages is enough: clarity beats length.
- Cover 10 sections, from the problem and goals to budget, timeline and who signs off.
- Include a budget range. It makes quotes accurate and comparable.
- Describe the problem, not the solution, and let the studio challenge the brief.
What is a design brief?
A design brief is the starting point of any design project: a website, an app, a product feature or a brand. It is written by the client, usually with the people who will sign off the work, and it answers the questions every designer asks in the first meeting. A website brief is simply a design brief focused on a website; a creative brief is the marketing equivalent, focused on a campaign message rather than a product or site.
Why a good brief matters
- Better quotes. Studios can only price what they understand. A clear scope turns rough estimates into fixed quotes.
- Fewer revisions. Most rework comes from goals that were never written down.
- A faster start. The team skips weeks of discovery questions and moves straight to the real problem.
- Internal alignment. Writing the brief forces your own team to agree on goals and budget before the project starts.
What to include: the 10 sections
| Section | What to write | Example answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1. About you | Company, product, stage, team size | B2B fintech, Series A, 40 people, UK and EU |
| 2. The problem | What is not working, and the evidence | Demo requests from the website fell after the pricing change |
| 3. Goals and success | The outcome and how you will measure it | Double demo requests from organic traffic within 6 months |
| 4. Audience | Who uses it and who buys it | Heads of finance at companies with 50 to 500 staff |
| 5. Scope | What you need designed and delivered | New marketing site, 12 page templates, design system, CMS build |
| 6. Content | What exists, who writes the rest | Case studies exist; new copy needed for 5 pages |
| 7. Technical | Platform, integrations, constraints | Webflow, HubSpot forms, must keep current URLs |
| 8. Brand and references | Guidelines, sites you like and why | Brand guide attached; we like how Stripe explains pricing |
| 9. Budget | A range you have approved | 25,000 to 40,000, approved for Q1 |
| 10. Timeline and decisions | Deadline, reason, who signs off | Live before our March funding round; CEO and CMO sign off |
A design brief template you can copy
Copy these prompts into a document and answer each one in a few sentences. Short, honest answers beat long, polished ones.
1. About us
- Who are you, what do you sell and to whom?
- What stage is the company at, and how big is the team?
2. The problem or opportunity
- What is not working today, or what new opportunity do you want to capture?
- What evidence do you have (data, customer feedback, sales conversations)?
3. Goals and success metrics
- What should be different six months after launch?
- Which numbers will tell you it worked?
4. Audience
- Who are the main users and buyers? What do they need to believe before they act?
5. Scope and deliverables
- What exactly needs to be designed, built or delivered?
- What is explicitly out of scope?
6. Content and assets
- What content, photography, video and data exist today? Who will write new copy?
7. Technical requirements
- Which platform or CMS, integrations and tools must we work with? Are there URLs, SEO or accessibility requirements?
8. Brand and inspiration
- Link your brand guidelines. List two or three websites or products you admire, and say why.
9. Budget
- What range has been approved? Is it fixed, or flexible for the right scope?
10. Timeline and decision process
- When do you need it, and what drives that date?
- Who is involved day to day, and who has the final say?
Vague vs useful: how to answer well
| Vague | Useful |
|---|---|
| We want a modern website | We want to double demo requests from organic search within 6 months |
| Our audience is everyone | Heads of finance at UK companies with 50 to 500 staff |
| Budget is flexible | 25,000 to 40,000, approved for Q1 |
| As soon as possible | Live before our March funding round, soft launch in February |
| Make it pop | Our brand feels dated next to competitors; we want it calmer and more premium |
Should you include your budget?
Yes. A budget range is not a negotiating weakness; it is a design constraint, like a deadline. Without it, one studio proposes a lean solution and another a full rebuild, and you cannot compare them. With it, every proposal shows the best result you can get for the money. If you are unsure what things cost, our guide to product design costs gives typical market ranges.
Common mistakes in design briefs
- Describing the solution ("we need a new homepage") instead of the problem it should solve.
- Listing every stakeholder's wish without deciding what matters most.
- Leaving out the decision process, so feedback arrives late from people who were never in the room.
- Forgetting technical constraints until the build, when changes cost the most.
- Treating the brief as final. A good studio will challenge it, and that conversation is part of the value.
What happens after you send a brief
A good studio replies with questions before it replies with a price. Expect a short call to test the goals and constraints, then a proposal with scope, timeline and cost. If you are planning a site, see how we run website redesigns; for apps and platforms, our product design services.
Frequently asked questions
What should a design brief include?
A design brief should cover who you are, the problem or opportunity, your goals and success metrics, the audience, the scope and deliverables, existing content, technical requirements, brand references, the budget range and the timeline, including who makes the final decision.
How long should a design brief be?
One or two pages is usually enough. The aim is clarity, not length. A short brief with clear goals, a budget range and a deadline is more useful than a long document full of wishes.
What is the difference between a creative brief and a design brief?
A creative brief guides a marketing campaign and focuses on the message, audience and channels. A design brief guides a product, website or brand project and focuses on goals, users, scope, constraints and success metrics.
Should I include my budget in a design brief?
Yes. A budget range is a constraint that lets studios propose the best solution for the money and makes proposals comparable. Without it, quotes vary wildly and you cannot judge them fairly.
Who should write the design brief?
The person who owns the project on the client side, usually with input from the people who will approve the work. It helps to agree the goals and budget internally before the brief goes to any studio.