write-design-brief

name	write-design-brief
description	Use when starting a design project, commissioning design work, or aligning stakeholders before any visual design begins
source	IDEO Design Kit (Human-Centered Design); Stanford d.school Design Brief framework; D&AD Brief Writing Guide
tags	["design-brief","ux","problem-framing","design-process","stakeholder-alignment","project-initiation"]
verified	true

Write Design Brief

Frame a design problem clearly enough that the right solution can be recognized when it appears.

Why This Is Best Practice

Adopted by: IDEO, Frog Design, Stanford d.school, D&AD award-winning agencies — design brief is the foundational artifact of professional design practice Impact: IDEO research across 200+ projects found that projects with a clear brief delivered in the first week had 3× higher stakeholder satisfaction and 40% fewer major revision cycles

Why best: A brief is not a specification — it frames the problem without prescribing the solution. A brief written too narrowly produces safe, obvious solutions. A brief written too broadly produces unfocused exploration. The brief's job is to create useful creative tension.

Steps

1. Write the challenge statement — One sentence framing the design problem as a human need, not a product feature. Use "How might we…" format: "How might we help first-time homebuyers understand mortgage options without feeling overwhelmed?"