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Design Brief

Document template for Google Docs and Word

Make a copy in Google Docs
Type
Document
Price
Free
Pages
9 · US Letter
Style
Editorial
Difficulty
Beginner
Updated
October 30, 2026

Every page (9)

Overview

A vague brief wastes the first round of design. This template helps a client tell a studio what it needs: who the organisation is, the problem to solve, who the work is for, how the brand should sound, what is in and out of scope, what it will cost and when it must be done.

The sample is a brand and website refresh for a fictional engineering firm, Umberfield Engineering, with a £48,000 budget, a 16-week schedule, two review rounds and one named decision-maker. Replace the organisation, audience, outputs, budget and dates with your own.

Useful for

  • Briefing a design studio on a brand and website refresh before asking for proposals
  • Comparing studio quotes against one clear scope, budget and timetable
  • Keeping feedback to one decision-maker and two review rounds once work starts

What's included

  • About us page with a title block, headline figures and the case for change
  • Problem page with a trend chart, share of enquiries and the reasons behind it
  • Audience page with survey results and two personas
  • Brand page with a communication schedule by audience and channel, and a calendar
  • Outputs page with in and out of scope, definitions and exclusions
  • Budget, key dates, a week-by-week Gantt schedule and a guide page for editing

How to use it

  1. 1

    Click Make a copy in Google Docs, then confirm on the Google page. The copy is saved to your own Google Drive.

  2. 2

    Write the objective as one sentence starting with the change you want, and describe your audience by what they do and believe now.

  3. 3

    State the budget, deadline and the dates of the two review rounds, and list mandatories and constraints.

  4. 4

    Name one decision-maker and one contact for questions, and add two examples you like and one you do not.

  5. 5

    Delete the Make it yours guide page, then share the document or present it.

What you need

Requirements

  • A Google account with access to Google Drive

Works with

  • Google Docs
  • Microsoft Word (download the .docx)

Questions

Are the organisation and figures real?

No. Umberfield Engineering, its people, survey results, budget and dates are fictional sample content. Replace them with your own details before you send the brief.

Should the brief include the budget?

Yes. Without a figure or range the studio cannot scope the work. The sample states £48,000 excluding VAT and holds 10% as contingency.

Does it work for projects other than branding?

Yes. Change the outputs, audience and schedule to suit a website, a campaign, a photo shoot or a set of templates. The structure stays the same.

  • #design-brief
  • #creative-brief
  • #project-brief
  • #brand-refresh
  • #website-design-brief
  • #studio-brief
  • #budget-and-timeline
  • #google-docs

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