How to write a design brief for your new product
If you’re developing a new product and you want to collaborate with an industrial designer, it is important to let him or her know how you envision it.
By answering the following questions about your brand, your end users, your future product, and your manufacturer, you will have a clear brief in order to start the development of your new product in a clear direction.
You might not know the answers to some of these questions yet, but the point is to discuss as much as possible upfront. Some of the questions could be the exact reason why you decided to hire a designer. In that case, you could ask the designer to guide you through the process.
Questions about your brand
Your product is an important part of your brand. Describing the role of the product in your brand sets the stage for a design that harmonizes with your brand.
1. Will the product be designed for an existing or a new brand?
2. What is the mission of your brand?
3. How will the product help carry out your mission?
4. Could you provide general information about the brand?
5. Will the product be part of a product family?
6. Who are the main competitors in this area?
Questions about the users
Keep the end users in mind and think of what you know about the target group that you are considering, or research your current customers if you already sell products that are similar to the one that you are developing now.
1. Who will use the product (what are their demographics, personalities, values, and lifestyles)?
2. Where will they use the product?
3. What are they using currently, now that your new product doesn’t exist yet?
4. What added value should the user experience with your product?
Questions about the product
Some clients have a rough idea, others have a clear image of the product they would like to develop. Both are a great starting point for a designer to work with. If you answer more questions, chances are that the ideation phase results in ideas that are closer to what you had in mind.
1. Do you have main guidelines for the desired size or volume of the product?
2. What are your initial ideas for the new product?
3. What materials are you considering to use for the product? What materials are you thinking of avoiding?
4. Do you have examples of products that express the right qualities that you are looking for (could be from completely different product categories)?
Questions about manufacturing
Depending on the brand, there might be a relationship with a manufacturer in place. Discussing details about this manufacturer helps even in the earliest phase of the design process.
1. How many products would you like to produce?
2. Do you have a manufacturer in mind for the production of your new product?
If the answer is no, you could discuss with the designer how to find the best manufacturer for your product, and skip the next two questions.
3. Could you provide information from the manufacturer about product guidelines and limitations, as well as contact details?
4. Could you share images of other products that your manufacturer has produced before? These provide helpful insights into the capabilities and available production methods of the factory.
Don’t worry in case you don’t have all the answers. In a collaborative effort, it is possible to go through the process from initial idea until a successful product launch. Your designer should assist you in the quest for the perfect product that fits your and your users needs.
