1. GD441 Sr. Project Research Lecture 1/Week 1

2. Syllabus Overview  Go online to http://hz031.aisites.com to read the syllabus and get all content needed for this course.http://hz031.aisites.com

3. What Is a Design Brief?  A design brief is a business plan, plain and simple.  It is also a means to create a timeline for the creation and production of a design project.  It is essential for all graphic designers, whether or not they freelance, to know how to write a design brief.  Art directors and creative directors know how to write a brief. Freelance designers know how to write a brief. You need to learn how to write a brief.

4. What Does a Design Brief Look Like?  No one design brief looks the same.  Every designer has their own way of putting their materials together in a logical order so that their client/partner understands what the project is and how it is going to impact their business or organization.  Typically the format of a brief is typed and includes supporting imagery.  A brief is almost always more than one page. They are often several pages long.  A printed brief is usually bound. A digital brief is usually made with links for logical navigation.

5. Why Is a Design Brief Important?  A design brief is important for many good reasons. One of the best reasons is for the designer to bridge the gap between their creative drive and the business needs of their client/partner.  A design brief is often the evidence a potential client needs to see that a designer understands their business and isn’t simply a decorator.  A design brief brings all parties together and helps them stay focused, on task and on budget.  As a student, creating a design brief is very similar to writing a final thesis before you graduate. A final thesis is an essential component to any design program that demands excellence from their students.

6. What Info Goes Into a Design Brief?  A description of the business objective  A description of the target market  A description of the best means to reach the target market  A detailed timeline of design, production, completion and mail or launch dates  Lists of the following: Required technology Project participants including who needs to be hired Required materials  A detailed budget that may include the following: Hired freelance/contractors (including your fees if you are freelance) Collateral pieces – design, print and product and usually written per piece in the budget Website – hosting, e-commerce (if applicable) Mailing services – postage and mailhouse fees Modeling services (if applicable)

7. What Is the Role of a Graphic Designer In Business?  A graphic designer is the one who conceives of the means to get the client/partner’s message across in the most effective visual form possible.  A business cannot survive if nobody knows they exist.  A graphic designer will use their creative skills to ensure, as best they can, that somebody – ideally, the person the business needs as a customer – knows they exist.  A graphic designer also is an essential part of community activism. How does someone realize that AIDS testing is important and that there is no shame in getting the test. They might have seen a billboard or a print ad. They might have picked up a brochure at a club, library or community center. The end result could be the an ad you design could cause someone to get this test, find out the result and continue to live their life in a much safer way. You could save a life. Seriously.

8. GD441 Required Reading  You have 2 books that you need to purchase: Creating the Perfect Design Brief by Peter L. Phillips and The Graphic Artists Guild Handbook. They are both excellent books and are required reading for this course.  You need to have both books purchased within the next few days. Amazon.com has great pricing on both and you will most likely receive them within a few days if you order by tomorrow.

9. What Every Business Needs  Read the following article before the end of class. It’s on the AIGA website: http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/what-every-business-needs http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/what-every-business-needs