This issue of Simplicity v3.0 shifts the focus of our news from our own achievements to design issues that affect our clients. We’ve decided to discuss the issues that can arise in the development of a design brief. Each member of the Birds & Fish team contributes some thoughts based on their experiences and expertise. We aim to have you leave this newsletter better informed about how to write a design brief for your new project, and with an overview of the potential pitfalls and some tips and consideration that will we hope assist you.

If you have a project you need assistance with please do contact us to discuss your needs.

Email us! weare@birdsandfish.net

Insights on the briefing process from the B&F team...

Briefing – Logotypes and VI systems

Jude Du | Business Director

Some of our clients are new businesses or existing companies launching new brands. With these clients, the first step is always focused on the logo design. A logotype is the symbol, the essence, the heart… the most important visual element of a visual identity designed to represent a business.

Usually clients come to us with some ideas or rough visual images in their mind which are really hard to describe clearly. There are some brief tips that can help:

• Seriously answer the questionnaire from the designer.

• Clearly tell your favourite colors and design elements.

• Find out about your competitors.

• Speak about your inspirations and the story of your business.

• Sketch out the image in your mind if possible.

Here is a wonderful example (www.saatori.com) The client is very creative and serious. She believes the way to find out the right logo is a hard journey full of excitement. “I use uncommon approaches to solve universally "usual" human behavioural/ corporate problems. What you see is what you get: truth, honesty and integrity with humor. I want my VI to be have legs…to be the essence of my offering. So…for my VI, it does need to be bold, solid, leaning on the softer side of edgy. Mary E. Rezek, Principal Consultant, SAATORI”

Briefing - Collateral Materials - Flyers | Brochures | Catalogs | Graphics to deliver your message

Joy Yin | Creative Director

A brochure is the most common way to advertise events, products, services, etc. Does this mean it’s easy for you to lead designers to your goal? No way! How do you find the right style? How to fulfill your plan for this catalog?

1. Clean up all the materials you want to include.

2. Check image resolution especially when you dream about an image-oriented brochure. Discuss this with your designer – the minimum resolution is usually 300dpi for print.

3. Show reference samples to the designer if you have them.

4. Define your target audience.

5. Define your budget and print requirements.

6. Make a schedule with the designer, set up meeting times and deadlines.

What’s the magic tip for this huge job? Communicate, communicate, and communicate!!!

“These 2 pamphlets are made for China retail market. The Masters Mark is a top-end brand in local coating market. They want to show their high-quality and level in the design. They want us to focus on the product characteristic and keep the visual system at the same time. – Joy Yin”

Briefing – Websites | Programming | e-newsletters | e-magazines

Bailey Chen | Multimedia

E-media has turned out to be a must-have tool for promotion today. A unique interface relies so much on coding and programming. There are some special tips for people who want to have a website or an “e-anything”.

a. What kind of coding do you want to plant into your project? Talk with your client closely to find out the best solution! It is related to the hosting plan/server you need to order.

b. Do you think you know something about programming? Even if the answer is yes please still respect your designers’ decisions on the best techniques! Coding technologies change with each passing day.

c. Changing the approved design is the most terrible nightmare for any programmer. In e-media even a small change on the design might cause days of repeat work. This will cause lost time and extra money.

d. Changing the interface size equals to asking for a new website. – be careful!

e. If you are in China, it takes more time to load website hosted outside China than websites hosted domestically. It also takes more time to load a Flash based website.

f. Keep all passwords, user names, URL in most safe place for yourself!!!

:-) I really wish I can help you with your e-promotion one day!

Different Brower shows different results. This is illustrated in the sample:

1. Firefox and safari doesn’t show the special scroll bar effect.

2. Before building a website, consider the most appropriate browser size for your target audience. e.g. Different browsers have got different default non-scroll bar sizes.

http://www.birdsandfish.net

Ian McArthur, B&F Creative Director introduces some insights into writing effective design briefs.

A good design brief helps everyone concerned with a project to understand the scope of the work. Designers can then plan and cost the job accurately. Here’s a checklist of considerations:

Your Aims

Your organization can benefit enormously from good design but clear goals must be established. Do you wish to:

• Increase sales?

• Encourage enquiries about products or services?

• Develop an identity for your company?

• Increase awareness about an issue?

• Obtain information from your potential customers?

Background

Give the designers a strong corporate profile. For example:

• What does your organization do?

• How long you have been established and how many staff you employ?

• Describe your corporate / brand personality

• What is your market position?

• What is your niche market?

• How you fit in to your industry sector?

Who are your competitors? What is your image in the marketplace? How do you want to be perceived? Cutting edge? Relaxed and friendly? Stylish? Elegant? Inexpensive and approachable?

Target Audience

Who do you want to communicate to? What are the key characteristics of the audiences you wish to reach? Explain if you are looking to consolidate your existing client-base or appeal to new markets. Detail any demographic information about the target audience that may be useful.

This will include:

• Age

• Gender

• Income

• Occupation

• Location

• Any Unique attributes of your audience

Objectives

What is your key message? State what your organization wishes to achieve from the project. List the objectives you want to achieve - and those you wish to avoid.

Illustrative material

Is there pre-existing photography, charts, illustrations, graphs that need to be included?

Budget

State accurately the amount of money available for the project. Define how much money is available to spend on the various aspects of the graphic design strategy and if the figure quoted is subject to negotiation. A budget expectation gives the designer a good idea of the type of solution they will realistically be able to provide.

Timeline

Include a time line outlining the timing and sequence of events. Let your designer know if there is a specific deadline that has to be met.

Design medium

Where will the design appear? Print, CD-ROM, Web? What format do you have in mind? Does it need to fit in a DL envelope, etc.

Special considerations

Are there any special aspects of this project that need to be made clear? Are there any cultural sensitivities? Are there technical and practical constraints? If there are inflexible parameters, state them up front. Is there any hardware/software compatibility issues that need to be clarified?

Conclusion

The brief becomes a point of reference during the project and is a key factor in receiving a high quality outcome for your design project.

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