PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
How to write a product design brief: a practical guide
From an idea to the right questions: clarify goals, functions, market and constraints before talking to a designer.
A product design brief is a document that explains what you want to create, who it is for and the objectives and constraints involved. You do not need to have decided the object’s form: the brief gives the designer the information needed to explore relevant solutions and propose a scope of work.
You can start with one page, separating what you know from what still needs checking. A clearly described need is more useful than a solution fixed too early.
Start with the problem you want to solve
“I would like a new collection” is a starting point, but it leaves many questions open. Why is it needed? Who is it for? What should it offer compared with existing products? The first task is to turn an intention into a clear objective.
Describe the context: an awkward gesture, an unmet need, a request from retailers or the ambition to enter a new category. Collect observations, photographs or customer comments. Separate verified information from your assumptions: both are useful when their status is clear.
Avoid starting only with a shape or material. “It must be aluminium” might be a genuine manufacturing constraint or a preference still open to discussion. Explaining why helps establish the room for other solutions.
What to include in a product design brief
1. Users and context
Who will use the object, where and how often? Will it need to be carried, washed, assembled or used with one hand? Is it intended for a home, a car or a professional setting? Describe a specific use situation: it helps more than a general phrase such as “a product for everyone”.
2. Functions and priorities
Separate essentials from desirable features. A list without priorities makes choices difficult when objectives conflict, for example compactness and capacity. Explain how you would recognise a satisfactory result: a user test, comparison with an existing product or a check to be defined together.
3. Market, distribution and competition
Describe where you intend to sell the product: specialist shops, mass retail, e-commerce or other channels. Include an expected price range, stating whether it is a retail price or another figure. Identify a few competitors and explain what you appreciate and what you would improve. References help establish context and find your own direction.
4. Materials, manufacturing and quantities
Identify any available technologies, suppliers or materials. Explain whether they are requirements or options to assess. Expected launch quantities and subsequent volumes help guide decisions about processes, tooling and assembly. If you do not know them, say that they need estimating: an invented number can lead decisions in the wrong direction.
5. Brand identity
What qualities should the new object communicate? Collect products from your range, images and references with a short explanation. “I value easy cleaning” or “I want a discreet presence” is more useful than an unexplained mood board.
6. Budget, timing and scope
Clarify the resources available for design and for prototypes, tooling and production. Identify real deadlines, such as a trade fair, separately from preferred timings. Explain how far you want to go with the designer: concepts, product development, prototypes or support in discussions with manufacturers.
If you would like to consider royalties and an advance, mention this in the brief. It is something to discuss together in light of the project and its commercial prospects. How much does it cost to develop a new product? explores cost categories and possible payment arrangements.
From an everyday gesture to a design question
80 Grammi helps illustrate the difference between describing an object and describing a need. The plate starts from the habit of judging spaghetti portions by eye and turns its rim into a measuring tool.
One way to phrase the question would be: “How can we help someone measure spaghetti while preparing a meal, using an object that also belongs on the dining table?” This is an illustrative reconstruction of the problem, not the original project brief.
The sentence focuses on the gesture and context, leaving room to explore the solution. Defining the shape, openings and dimensions immediately would bring forward decisions that belong to design development.
Four mistakes that make a brief less useful
- Using adjectives alone. “Innovative”, “beautiful” or “sustainable” need to become objectives and verifiable criteria.
- Confusing preferences with constraints. Explain what is compulsory and why, making it clear what remains open to discussion.
- Asking to replicate a competitor. Identify the need that product addresses and the opportunities still available.
- Hiding uncertainty. Undefined quantities, materials and budgets are subjects to address, not boxes to fill at any cost.
A simple outline to complete
Use these questions to prepare for the first meeting. Answer in a few lines and write “to be defined” where information is missing.
- The idea: what would I like to create, and why?
- The people: who will use it, and in what situation?
- The need: what problem or opportunity have I identified?
- The priorities: which functions are essential?
- The market: where would I sell it, and at what price range?
- The references: which products are comparable, and how would I like to differ?
- Manufacturing: which materials, technologies and suppliers do I already know?
- Quantities: how many units do I envisage initially?
- Resources: what budget do I have, and which activities must it cover?
- The process: what outcomes do I expect from the designer, and by when?
Attach relevant material only: sketches, photographs, available measurements, catalogues or previous tests. Explain why each reference is useful.
The brief can be developed together
The initial brief does not need to solve every problem. It makes the first conversation productive: the designer can help identify open questions, discuss priorities and define the necessary activities.
Before work begins, share an updated version with agreed objectives, constraints and expected outcomes. If a requirement changes during development, assess its implications for activities, timing and costs together.
Start with Shape your idea, the studio’s guided tool. Five steps help you gather available information, with optional questions and an editable summary. Download the brief as text, copy it or print it to PDF, then share it when you are ready.
Do I need drawing skills to contact a designer?
No. You can describe the need using words, photographs and references. A sketch may help explain your thinking, but it is not a requirement.
How long should the brief be?
One page with essential information and relevant attachments may be enough for the first discussion. Clarity matters more than page count.
Can I start without knowing the materials and quantities?
Yes. Identify what is still open: these questions can become the subject of an initial analysis phase. For an overview of what follows, read How to develop a new product: from idea to production.