How to Write a Design Brief (Free Template)
A design brief is a short document that tells a designer what you need: who you are, who it's for, what the project should achieve, what you like and don't like, and your budget and deadline. It doesn't need to be long or perfect — one or two pages is enough. A free template is at the end of this article.
Why a brief matters
A good brief saves time and money for both sides. The designer understands the task faster, makes fewer wrong guesses, and you get fewer "nice, but not us" moments.
It also helps you. Writing a brief forces you to think about your goals before spending money — and makes it easier to compare offers from different designers.
What to include in a design brief
1. About your business
What you do, how long you've been doing it and what makes you different. Add your story if it matters — why you started is often the most useful part for a designer.
2. The project
What exactly you need: a logo, a full brand identity, a landing page, a website, or all of it. Is it a new brand or a redesign? If it's a redesign, what's wrong with the current one?
3. Goals
What should the new design achieve? More bookings, higher prices, a new audience, a product launch? Be specific: "look more premium so we can raise prices by 20%" is far more useful than "look better".
4. Audience
Who are your customers? Age, location, what they care about, where else they shop. The same design can work brilliantly for one audience and fail for another.
5. Feeling and style
How should people feel when they see your brand? Try to pick three words — for example calm, warm, natural or bold, smart, fast.
6. References
5–10 examples you like — websites, brands, packaging, anything — with one line on what you like about each. Plus 2–3 things you don't like or want to avoid.
7. Competitors
2–3 competitors and what you think of their brand: what's good and what you want to do differently.
8. Content and materials
What you already have: logo, photos, texts, brand colors. What still needs to be created — and by whom.
9. Budget and timeline
Even a rough range helps. A realistic budget and deadline let the designer suggest the best option for you, instead of guessing.
10. Decision-maker
Who gives final approval? One clear decision-maker makes projects much faster.
Free design brief template
Copy this, fill in what you can, and send it to your designer. Leave anything you're not sure about blank — a good designer will help you figure it out.
DESIGN BRIEF 1. ABOUT US Business name: What we do (1–2 sentences): What makes us different: Our story (optional): 2. THE PROJECT What we need: logo / brand identity / landing page / website / other New or redesign: If redesign — what's wrong with the current one: 3. GOALS What should the new design achieve: How will we know it worked: 4. AUDIENCE Who our customers are: What they care about: 5. FEELING 3 words that describe how our brand should feel: 1. 2. 3. 6. REFERENCES What we like (link + why): - - - What we don't like or want to avoid: - - 7. COMPETITORS Name + what we think of their brand: - - 8. CONTENT What we already have (logo, photos, texts, colors): What still needs to be created: 9. BUDGET AND TIMELINE Budget range: Ideal launch date: Is the date fixed or flexible: 10. CONTACT Who gives final approval: Best way to reach us:
Common brief mistakes
- Describing the design instead of the goal. "Blue, with a big photo" is less useful than "we want families to trust us".
- Using vague words without examples. "Modern" and "clean" mean different things to different people. Add references.
- Hiding the budget. It doesn't make the price lower — it just makes the offer less accurate.
- Writing a novel. A 15-page brief usually means nobody reads it carefully. One or two pages is enough.
- Forgetting what you don't want. Often it's faster to say "definitely not this" than to describe the perfect result.
Don't have a brief? That's fine too
Many great projects start without one. If filling in the template feels hard, you can also just tell us about your business in your own words — a feeling, a story, a few screenshots. At lunö, we ask the right questions and build the brief together with you.
Ready to start? Send us your brief — or just tell us about your project. Not sure yet? Get a free 15-minute video review of your current site or brand.
