The design brief as a pivotal tool: A study of Centro Brasil Design’s practices to promote design

Abstract

In the early stages of the design and innovation processes, stakeholders often develop a design brief. As a document gathering all design requirements, it is adopted as an agreement and a roadmap to facilitate communication throughout the project. This study expands the current literature about design brief tools by delving into the briefing process within design interventions conducted by design promotion organisations. We investigated the strategies and practices of Centro Brasil Design to nurture design among Brazilian enterprises. Particularly, we focused on its Design Export program, which aims to insert design in export-oriented businesses. Supported by the Design Quality Criteria framework, our study probed the program’s development and its design briefs, as well as the designers involved in the projects. The findings revealed how a design brief could lever the design advisory service. We further identified a new approach to briefing procedures and a design brief model for design interventions.

Keywords:

• Design brief
• briefing
• Design Quality Criteria
• Centro Brasil Design
• design promotion

Acknowledgements

The authors express sincere gratitude to CBD for granting access to documents and data regarding the DEX program and to the designers who shared their perspectives on the design briefs. We also gratefully acknowledge Letícia Castro and Ken Flávio Ono Fonseca’s insights on the manuscript’s early versions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Global Scholarship Program for Foreign Graduate Students at Kookmin University in Korea.

 

Notes on contributors

Renato Antonio Bertão

Renato Antonio Bertão is a PhD candidate in the Smart Experience Design Department of the Graduate School of Techno Design, Kookmin University. His multidisciplinary background combines degrees in Business, Information Management, Design, and Visual Arts. Renato has 15 years of expertise in design education in Brazil. His research interest focuses on design methods and innovation.

Ana Leocadia de Souza Brum

Ana Leocadia de Souza Brum is a designer and Centro Brasil Design’s Technical Director. She earned a master’s degree in Development and Organisations and further specialised in Product and Design Engineering and Higher Education. In the last 20 years, she built up expertise in Design Management, Business Design, Sustainability, Design for Export, Public Policy, and Design Scenarios. She is a jury member for design awards, lecturer, and consultant.

Jaewoo Joo

Jaewoo Joo is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the College of Business Administration, Kookmin University. He earned his PhD in Marketing at Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. Jaewoo teaches and writes about design thinking and behavioural economics for customer experience.