tomevault-io Design Brief Generator
Overview
Generate comprehensive, well-structured design briefs that align stakeholders and guide design projects. This skill helps designers create clear project briefs that define scope, goals, constraints, and success criteria.
Built for:
- UX/UI designers
- Product designers
- Design leads
- Design systems teams
- Brand designers
Quick Start
1. Generate Design Brief
Run the interactive script:
scripts/generate_brief.sh
This will guide you through creating a comprehensive design brief covering:
- Project goals and objectives
- Target users and personas
- Design constraints
- Success criteria
- Timeline and deliverables
2. Validate Brief
Check brief completeness:
scripts/validate_brief.sh <brief_file.md>
Ensures all critical sections are included.
Core Workflow
When to Create a Design Brief
Use a design brief for:
- New product/feature design projects
- Design system initiatives
- Redesign projects
- Brand identity projects
- UX research initiatives
Skip for:
- Minor UI tweaks
- Bug fixes
- Small iterations on existing designs
Design Brief Components
1. Project Overview
What it includes:
- Project name and description
- Background and context
- Why this project matters now
- Business objectives
- User problems being solved
Example:
## Project Overview
**Project:** Mobile app redesign
**Background:** Current app has 2.8 star rating with users citing confusing navigation
**Business Goal:** Increase app retention from 15% to 40% (Day 30)
**User Problem:** Users can't find key features, leading to frustration and abandonment
2. Design Goals & Objectives
Define what success looks like:
- Primary design goal
- Secondary goals
- Success metrics
- Must-haves vs. nice-to-haves
Example:
## Design Goals
**Primary Goal:** Create intuitive navigation that helps users complete core tasks in < 3 taps
**Secondary Goals:**
- Reduce visual clutter by 40%
- Improve accessibility (WCAG AA compliance)
- Establish reusable component library
**Success Metrics:**
- Task success rate: 90%+
- Time on task: -50%
- SUS score: 75+
3. Target Users & Personas
Who are we designing for:
- Primary user personas
- User needs and pain points
- User goals and motivations
- Technical proficiency
- Context of use
Example:
## Target Users
**Primary Persona:** Sarah, Marketing Manager
- **Age:** 32-45
- **Tech Savvy:** Medium
- **Goals:** Create campaigns quickly, track performance
- **Pain Points:** Current tool too complex, takes too long
- **Context:** Uses on desktop during work hours, sometimes mobile
4. Design Principles & Direction
Guiding principles for the project:
- Core design principles
- Visual direction
- Interaction patterns
- Content strategy
- Accessibility requirements
Example:
## Design Principles
1. **Clarity over cleverness** - Users should never wonder what to do next
2. **Progressive disclosure** - Show what's needed, hide complexity
3. **Consistent patterns** - Use established design system components
4. **Accessible by default** - WCAG AA minimum, aim for AAA
5. Scope & Constraints
What's in and out of scope:
In Scope:
- Screens/flows included
- Platforms (web, mobile, tablet)
- Devices and browsers
- Accessibility requirements
Out of Scope:
- What we're NOT designing
- Future considerations
Constraints:
- Technical limitations
- Timeline constraints
- Resource constraints
- Brand guidelines to follow
Example:
## Scope
**In Scope:**
- Dashboard redesign (5 screens)
- Mobile responsive (iOS, Android)
- Dark mode support
- WCAG AA compliance
**Out of Scope:**
- Admin panel (separate project)
- Native mobile apps (web only)
- Marketing website
**Constraints:**
- Must use existing design system
- Launch deadline: 8 weeks
- Development team: 2 engineers
- No custom illustrations budget
6. User Flows & Journeys
Key user paths to design:
- Primary user flows
- Entry points
- Decision points
- Success states
- Error states
Example:
## Key User Flows
**Flow 1: Create Campaign**
1. Land on dashboard
2. Click "New Campaign"
3. Choose template
4. Customize content
5. Preview
6. Publish
7. Success confirmation
**Flow 2: View Analytics**
[Define the flow]
7. Deliverables & Timeline
What will be delivered:
Design Deliverables:
- User research (if needed)
- Wireframes
- High-fidelity mockups
- Interactive prototype
- Design specifications
- Component documentation
- Accessibility annotations
Timeline:
- Week 1-2: Research & wireframes
- Week 3-4: High-fidelity designs
- Week 5-6: Prototype & testing
- Week 7-8: Refinement & handoff
8. Success Criteria
How we'll measure success:
Qualitative:
- User testing feedback
- Stakeholder approval
- Designer review
- Accessibility audit pass
Quantitative:
- Task success rate
- Time on task
- Error rate
- SUS score
- NPS
Example:
## Success Criteria
**Usability Testing:**
- 8/10 users complete primary task without help
- Average SUS score: 75+
- Zero critical accessibility issues
**Business Metrics (post-launch):**
- 40% Day 30 retention (up from 15%)
- 90% task completion rate
- < 5% error rate
Design Project Types
1. New Feature Design
Focus areas:
- User needs validation
- Integration with existing product
- Interaction patterns
- Edge cases
Brief template: Standard brief with emphasis on user flows
2. Redesign Project
Focus areas:
- Current state analysis
- What's working/not working
- Migration considerations
- Before/after comparisons
Additional sections:
- Current pain points
- Competitive analysis
- Design audit findings
3. Design System
Focus areas:
- Component inventory
- Design principles
- Usage guidelines
- Governance
Additional sections:
- Adoption strategy
- Documentation plan
- Maintenance plan
4. Brand/Visual Design
Focus areas:
- Brand attributes
- Visual language
- Mood boards
- Design explorations
Additional sections:
- Brand guidelines
- Application examples
- Asset deliverables
Stakeholder Alignment
Discovery Questions
Ask before starting:
- What problem are we solving?
- Who are the users?
- What are the business goals?
- What's the timeline?
- What are the constraints?
- How will we measure success?
- Who needs to approve?
Stakeholder Review Process
Brief review checklist:
- Product Manager reviewed
- Engineering lead reviewed (feasibility)
- Design lead approved
- Key stakeholders aligned
- Success metrics agreed upon
- Timeline confirmed
- Resources allocated
Design Brief Best Practices
DO:
- ✅ Start with "why" - Clearly state the problem
- ✅ Define success - Specific, measurable criteria
- ✅ Include constraints - Technical, time, resource
- ✅ Show examples - Inspiration, references
- ✅ Get buy-in early - Review draft with stakeholders
- ✅ Keep it concise - 2-3 pages maximum
- ✅ Make it visual - Include diagrams, mockups, references
DON'T:
- ❌ Jump to solutions - Focus on problem first
- ❌ Be vague - "Make it better" isn't helpful
- ❌ Ignore constraints - They shape the solution
- ❌ Work in isolation - Involve PM, Engineering early
- ❌ Skip research - Base decisions on data
- ❌ Forget accessibility - Consider from the start
Accessibility in Design Briefs
Minimum Requirements
Every design brief should include:
WCAG Compliance:
- Target level (A, AA, AAA)
- Color contrast requirements (4.5:1 for text)
- Keyboard navigation support
- Screen reader compatibility
- Touch target sizes (44x44px minimum)
Testing Plan:
- Screen reader testing (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver)
- Keyboard-only navigation
- Color contrast validation
- Automated testing (axe, Lighthouse)
See references/accessibility_guidelines.md for complete checklist.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Working with Product
PM provides:
- Business requirements
- User research
- Success metrics
- Timeline constraints
Designer provides:
- Design expertise
- User experience recommendations
- Feasibility feedback
- Design timeline
Working with Engineering
Engineering needs from brief:
- Technical constraints acknowledged
- Interaction patterns defined
- Edge cases documented
- Component reuse identified
Design provides to Engineering:
- Design specifications
- Component documentation
- Interaction details
- Responsive breakpoints
Design Tools & Templates
Recommended Tools
Design Briefs:
- Notion (collaborative docs)
- Confluence
- Google Docs
- Figma FigJam (visual briefs)
User Flows:
- Figma
- Miro
- Whimsical
- FigJam
Prototyping:
- Figma
- Framer
- ProtoPie
- Principle
Example Design Briefs
Example 1: Mobile App Feature
# Design Brief: In-App Messaging
## Project Overview
Add direct messaging between users within our fitness app.
**Business Goal:** Increase engagement, reduce churn
**User Problem:** Users want to connect with workout partners
## Design Goals
- Enable 1:1 messaging
- Keep it simple and focused
- Integrate with existing notifications
## Target Users
Primary: Sarah, fitness enthusiast, 28-45, uses app 4x/week
## Scope
**In:** 1:1 text messaging, read receipts, notifications
**Out:** Group chat, media sharing (future phase)
## Success Criteria
- 40% of users try messaging in first 30 days
- 20% become weekly active messagers
- No increase in support tickets
## Timeline
6 weeks: Research (1w), Design (3w), Prototype & Test (2w)
Example 2: Dashboard Redesign
# Design Brief: Analytics Dashboard Redesign
## Project Overview
Redesign analytics dashboard to improve data comprehension.
**Current Issues:**
- Users overwhelmed by data
- Key metrics buried
- Poor mobile experience
## Design Goals
1. Surface most important metrics first
2. Enable drill-down for details
3. Make it mobile-friendly
## Target Users
- Marketing managers (primary)
- Executives (secondary)
- Data analysts (tertiary)
## Success Criteria
- Users find key metric in < 10 seconds
- Mobile traffic increases 30%+
- SUS score: 75+
## Timeline
8 weeks (Research: 2w, Design: 4w, Testing: 2w)
Resources
Scripts
- generate_brief.sh - Interactive brief generation
- validate_brief.sh - Check brief completeness
References
- design_brief_template.md - Comprehensive template
- accessibility_guidelines.md - WCAG checklist
- design_principles.md - Common design principles
- user_research_methods.md - Research guidance
Tips for Designers
Before Creating the Brief
- Talk to stakeholders - Understand the real problem
- Review existing research - Don't start from scratch
- Check technical constraints - Talk to engineering
- Understand the timeline - Be realistic
During Brief Creation
- Start with template - Don't reinvent the wheel
- Be specific - Vague briefs lead to vague designs
- Include visuals - Mood boards, references, examples
- Define success - How will you know it worked?
After Brief Creation
- Review with PM - Align on goals and scope
- Review with Engineering - Validate feasibility
- Get stakeholder sign-off - Explicit approval
- Treat it as living doc - Update as you learn
Common Pitfalls
Pitfall 1: Too Broad
Problem: "Redesign the entire app" Solution: Break into phases, prioritize
Pitfall 2: Solution-First
Problem: "Make it look like Apple" Solution: Start with user problems, not aesthetics
Pitfall 3: No Constraints
Problem: Ignoring technical/time limits Solution: Document and respect constraints
Pitfall 4: Skipping Research
Problem: Designing based on assumptions Solution: At minimum, review existing data
Pitfall 5: Vague Success Criteria
Problem: "Make it better" isn't measurable Solution: Define specific, testable criteria
Summary
A great design brief:
- Defines the problem clearly
- Sets goals and success criteria
- Identifies users and their needs
- Documents constraints (time, tech, budget)
- Aligns stakeholders early
- Guides the work without being prescriptive
- Evolves as you learn
Get started:
scripts/generate_brief.sh
This creates a solid foundation for successful design projects.
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