Sangeeta Jain

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*It is a journey.

*it is an art.

*it is problem solving.

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*A design brief is a descriptive document that contains information about the client and which explains the client’s requirements for the project.

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*Graphic Design is the art and practice of combining text and graphics and communicating a message effectively through any type of visual communication.

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*Brief identifies the “what” of the design project and Design is the actual “how” in a project.

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*In 1978, Sony chairman Akio Morita authored a design brief that concisely asked his design team “…to make something that lets me listen to opera recordings on long-distance airplane flights without disturbing passengers around me”.

*Sony engineer Nobutoshi Kihara took up this briefly stated challenge.

*The resulting design: the Walkman.

*From individual designers to most advanced advertising agencies and design houses, everyone strives to get a comprehensively written design brief.

*A comprehensive, detailed brief eliminates ambiguities in the design process. It becomes the guiding document in the process and detects exactly what the designer needs to do and the constraints within which it has to be done.

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*It explains the client’s requirements for the project

*It is a framework/foundation for the designers

*It contains a well-identified and articulated summary of the key factors can impact a project

*It focuses on the outcomes of the design and the business objectives of the design project

*It serves as an essential point of reference for both the client and the designer

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*It does NOT deal with the aesthetics of design.

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1.Background Summary: Who is the client? What is the product or service? What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved with this product or service? Are there existing advertisements, document or data to help understand the current positioning of the client (brand), product or service?

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2.Overview What is the nature of the project? Is it redesigning an existing product or service or introducing a new one? Or is the client entering a new market? Why does the client need this project?

3.Purpose What are the specific aims of this project? What will it realistically and successfully accomplish for the client and the product or service?

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4.Audience Who is the primary and secondary target audience? Demographics? What do they think of the client (brand) or product or service?

5.Competitors Who are the competitors? Why? What are their strengths and weaknesses? How is the client (brand) and product or service different from them?

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6.Message What message should be communicated to the audience? What would the audiences to take away? Why would they care about it? What is in it for them?

7.Tone How should the message be communicated? What adjectives will best describe the approach?

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8.Deliverables: Is the client going to provide the graphics? If the designer is creating them, who/what/where? Why? photography or illustrating? What will the client get at the end of the project? Formats?

9.People: Who will the designer report to? Who will approve this work? By what means?

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10.Details: Any mandatory information to be included? Any disclosers? Any confidentiality agreements to be completed? Limitations and restrictions? Timeline, schedule, budget?

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*Reading, understanding and reconstructing a brief.

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*Go to http://www.dandad.org/en/new-blood-awards/#briefs

*Select a brief of your choice and reconstruct it.

*In order to do this you will need to thoroughly study, research, analyze the client (brand), the product or service.

*Draw conclusions based on the information and data that you gather and start to document the “what” of the design project carefully.

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*State the assumptions and/or conclusions clearly and explain the rationale for all the decisions made.

*You may also use graphics to support the text.

*Use the template provided on the class portal to guide you through this journey. Please make sure that you are not missing any important points. Use the template as a guideline not a rule. You may modify it to suit your purpose.

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*Submit the assessment task in a PDF format.

*Due Date: Week 4 – 27th April 2015

*Weight: 25%

*In the next lecture and assessment task, we will closer at the “how” of the project.

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