#SchoolPR Insights Blog

Hiring a graphic designer is one of those decisions that pays off in direct proportion to how well the district prepares for it. A strong brief doesn’t just tell a designer what to make. It gives them the context they need to make something that actually works: for the audience, for the channel, and for the district’s broader communications goals.

Without that foundation, even talented designers produce work that misses the mark—not because of any failure on their part, but because the right information was never in the room. Here’s what a strong design brief for a school district project should include:

1. Project Purpose and Audience Start with the why before the what. What is this piece trying to accomplish, and who is it for? A flyer aimed at current families reads differently than one targeting prospective families during open enrollment season. A designer who understands the audience can make intentional choices about tone, imagery, and hierarchy—not just layout.
2. Deliverables and Specs Be specific about what you need. How many pieces? In what formats—print, digital, social? At what dimensions? What file types will you need for final delivery? Vague deliverables lead to revision cycles that could have been avoided with two clear sentences upfront.
3. Brand Standards and Existing Assets If your district has a design system—color palette, fonts, logo files, photography guidelines—share it at the start of the project, not after the first draft comes back wrong. If your brand standards exist primarily in your head rather than a document, this is a good moment to recognize that gap and address it.
4. Examples of What You Like (and Don’t) Designers aren’t mind readers. Sharing two or three examples of work that feels right—and being equally clear about what you want to avoid—saves significant time and sets realistic expectations on both sides of the relationship.
5. Timeline and Decision-Makers Give the designer a clear project timeline, including when feedback will be provided and who has final approval authority. Ambiguity about who’s signing off is one of the most common sources of delay and frustration in design projects.

A well-prepared brief is a form of respect—for the designer’s time and for the district’s investment. The few minutes it takes to pull one together almost always pay for themselves in the quality and efficiency of the final product.

Donovan Group works with districts to develop the brand standards, design systems, and communication materials that make every design project run more smoothly. Learn more about our Graphic Design & Branding services.