How to Write a Design Brief That Gets You What You Want

7 min

Most B2B SaaS websites suffer from the exact same conversion bottleneck: they treat their homepage like a digital brochure rather than a high-intent sales conversation. Visitors land on your page, scan for 5 seconds, and bounce because they cannot immediately answer one fundamental question: "What is in this for my business, and why should I care right now?"

1. Start With the Problem and the Outcome

“Make our website look modern” gives a designer a direction, but very little context. What feels outdated? Where are visitors struggling? What should they be able to do more easily?

Start by describing the current problem and its effect on your business. Then explain the outcome you want.

For example: “Visitors struggle to understand the difference between our service packages. We need a clearer comparison that helps them choose a suitable option and submit an inquiry.”

1. Start With the Problem and the Outcome

Key Takeaway: Describe Success Before Style

Before collecting visual references, finish this sentence: “This project will be successful if our users can ______.” If your answer is specific, your team has a stronger foundation for design decisions.

Include what you already know about your audience: who they are, why they visit, and what might stop them from taking action. Use customer feedback or existing data where available, and clearly label assumptions that still need checking.

2. Define the Scope, References, and Constraints

A clear brief also explains what the project includes. List the required pages, key features, and expected deliverables. For a website, this might include a homepage, service pages, a contact form, and layouts for desktop and mobile.

Share a few visual references and explain what you like about each one. “We like the readable typography and simple navigation” is more useful than “Make it look like this.” Mention anything you want to avoid, too.

Finally, document the practical details that shape the work:

The scope: Pages, features, and deliverables required for this phase.
The content: Who will provide copy, images, and brand assets—and when.
The constraints: Budget, deadline, CMS, integrations, and accessibility requirements.
The approval process: Who gives feedback and who makes the final decision.

Review the brief with your designer before work begins. Resolve open questions together and record any agreed changes. A good brief does not need to predict every detail; it needs to give everyone enough clarity to move in the same direction.

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