Design briefs and specifications
Design Briefs
- A design brief acts as a starting point for any design project, often provided by a customer or client.
- They offer a basic outline of what the client is looking for in their final product.
- Normally includes the objective of the design, the target audience or users, feasible timelines, approximate budget, and material requirements.
- Helps in understanding complete project scopes, client's needs, and the project's overall expectations in detail.
Functions of a Design Brief
- Design briefs guide the overall direction and aim of a project.
- They help in setting clear expectations between the client and the designer or engineer.
- It acts as a reference document to ensure the design process does not stray from its intended goals.
- Facilitates communication among project stakeholders, and can help to prevent misunderstandings.
- Serves as the basis for decision-making during the design process.
Design Specifications
- Design specifications, also known as product specifications, define the detailed requirements for a product to fulfill its purpose.
- They outline product attributes such as size, shape, colour scheme, materials, performance criteria, and safety standards.
- They may also include manufacturing requirements, quality control measures, and test criteria for prototypes.
- Specifications may also include what problem the product solves, its intended context of use, and how it should fulfil or improve upon existing solutions.
Design Specification Importance
- They create a common understanding of the expected final product between the design team and the client.
- Assist in ensuring that the design meets the industry standards and adhere to all safety norms.
- Help in controlling project costs as they highlight the parameters within which the design process is to operate.
- They provide quality checks to ensure the design meets the requirements set forth in the brief.
- They serve as the basis for designing tests and inspection plans for the structured evaluation of the product.
- By establishing clear requirements, specifications help in reducing design errors and subsequent iterations, ultimately saving time and resources.