However, some clients feel the need to use their own way to brief. They may have an in-house approach and this can make it difficult for you to influence exactly what information you get from them. The best way in this case is to marry your own needs by finding the gaps unanswered for your scoping questionnaire matched against the brief you are given. Many clients will see this as a professional approach and be happy to provide the extra information. Some may not be so forthcoming. Whatever approach is taken - to scope together or for the client to brief you - the clearer the information at the start of a project, the better for all, as we know.
Educating your clients is in your interest. So where might they find help with briefing? Can you point them in directions that will allow a better fit with the information you need. If they use briefs, do they have a mechanism for revising the brief? Here is where you might influence them for the future.
With that in mind take a look at some of the guidelines for briefs for iMedia projects. Which guidelines line up with your needs better than others? What would help you work better with clients? Do some raise issues that your own scoping questionnaires neglect? You might use the guidelines to drive change to your own guidelines. Some companies use their guidelines to drive business to themselves as well.
- How to write the perfect brief, Harmony
- Writing a brief and how to get a project started, The Design Council
- Writing a website design brief that gets results, Mark Kelly, Smart Insights, February 2013,
- How to write a website brief, Method and Class
Posts
