A well-written graphic design brief in Kenya is the single most important document you can prepare before hiring a designer. It saves time, reduces revision rounds, and ensures you get work that actually represents your brand. Yet most Kenyan SMEs skip this step entirely, leading to frustration on both sides.
This graphic design brief Kenya guide shows you exactly what to include so your designer delivers on the first attempt.
Why a Good Brief Matters More Than Budget
Designers in Kenya report that unclear briefs cause 60-70% of project delays and revision overruns. When you provide a complete brief, you typically get better work faster and at the quoted price. When you don't, expect extra revision rounds at KES 500-2,000 each, plus extended timelines.
A brief isn't bureaucracy. It's your insurance policy against miscommunication.
The brief forces you to clarify your own thinking before spending money. Many clients discover they don't actually know what they want until they try to write it down. That's valuable. It's far cheaper to figure this out before work starts than to pay for concepts that miss the mark.
What Every Graphic Design Brief Should Include
A complete brief answers seven questions your designer needs before starting work.
1. Company Background and Context
Start with who you are and what you do. This isn't fluff. Designers need context to make informed creative decisions.
Include:
Your company name and what you sell or provide
How long you've been operating
Your industry and where you operate (Nairobi, nationwide, East Africa)
Your company values or personality in a few words
Example: "Mama Fresh is a two-year-old fresh juice delivery business serving Nairobi's Westlands, Kilimani and Karen areas. We position ourselves as healthy, convenient and premium."
2. Project Scope and Deliverables
Be specific about what you're commissioning. "A logo" is too vague. "A primary logo, secondary logo mark, and black-and-white version for stamps and embossing" tells the designer exactly what to deliver.
For print materials, specify sizes. A5 flyer? A4 brochure? 85mm x 55mm business card? Don't assume the designer knows your preference.
For digital assets, specify platforms. Instagram posts at 1080x1080px? Website banner at 1920x600px? Facebook cover at 820x312px?
3. Target Audience
Describe who will see this design and what you want them to feel or do.
Bad brief: "Our target is everyone."
Good brief: "Young professionals aged 25-40 in Nairobi who care about health but don't have time to make their own juice. They order via WhatsApp and expect quick delivery. They should feel that ordering from us is a smart, healthy lifestyle choice."
The more specific you are, the better your designer can tailor the visual language.
4. Design Direction and Preferences
Share examples of designs you like and, equally important, designs you dislike. Screenshot competitor work, international brands you admire, or Pinterest boards that capture the feel you want.
Tell the designer why you like or dislike each example:
"I like this logo because it feels premium and minimal"
"I don't like this flyer because it's too busy and the colours feel cheap"
If you have existing brand guidelines, include your approved colours (with hex codes), fonts, and logo files. Consistency matters for professional branding.
5. Existing Assets and Constraints
Tell the designer what already exists:
Current logo files (provide vector formats if you have them)
Existing brand colours and fonts
Photos or images you want used
Legal requirements (regulatory logos, disclaimers)
Also share constraints:
"We print on a single-colour printer so the design must work in black and white"
"Our signage company requires files in CMYK with 3mm bleed"
6. Budget and Revision Allowance
Be upfront about budget. In Kenya, graphic design pricing ranges from KES 1,500 for simple work to over KES 150,000 for comprehensive brand identity projects. Most SME projects fall in the KES 5,000-50,000 range depending on complexity.
Standard practice is 2-3 revision rounds included in the price. If you anticipate needing more revisions, discuss this upfront. Additional rounds typically cost KES 500-2,000 each.
For quality work from a mid-level graphic designer in Kenya, expect:
Logo design: KES 15,000-35,000
Flyer or poster: KES 3,000-8,000
Business card: KES 2,000-5,000
Social media templates (5-10 designs): KES 5,000-15,000
Full branding package: KES 50,000-150,000
7. Timeline and Milestones
Specify your deadline and any fixed dates (event, launch, print booking). Standard turnaround for most graphic design work in Kenya is 2-7 days depending on complexity.
Build in time for:
First concept presentation (typically 2-3 days after brief)
Your review and feedback (give yourself 1-2 days)
Revisions (1-3 days per round)
Final file delivery
If you need rush delivery, expect to pay 20-50% more.
A Practical Brief Template You Can Use
Here's a template you can copy and fill in:
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Company name:
What we do:
Industry:
Location(s):
THE PROJECT
What we need designed:
Specific deliverables and sizes:
Where it will be used:
OUR AUDIENCE
Who will see this:
What we want them to feel:
What action we want them to take:
DESIGN DIRECTION
Examples we like (with links):
Examples we dislike (with links):
Overall feel we want:
EXISTING ASSETS
Logo files: [attach]
Brand colours:
Fonts:
Photos to use: [attach]
BUDGET AND TIMELINE
Budget: KES [amount]
Deadline: [date]
Key milestone dates:
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Constraints:
Special requirements:
Common Briefing Mistakes Kenyan Clients Make
Being Too Vague
"Make it pop" or "make it look professional" means nothing to a designer. Be specific. "Use bold colours like orange and navy" or "keep it minimal with lots of white space" gives clear direction.
Providing No Examples
Designers aren't mind readers. When you share visual references, you dramatically reduce the chance of disappointment. Screenshots take 30 seconds and save days of revision.
Changing Scope Mid-Project
Adding "one more thing" after work has started causes delays and often additional costs. Get your requirements clear before starting. If you genuinely need to add scope, expect to renegotiate timeline and budget.
Involving Too Many Decision-Makers
Design by committee rarely produces good results. Identify one or two people who can give consolidated feedback. When five people give conflicting opinions, the designer can't satisfy anyone.
Expecting Unlimited Revisions
Revisions have real costs. Use your included rounds wisely by giving thorough, specific feedback in each round rather than drip-feeding small changes across many rounds.
How to Give Feedback That Improves the Work
Good feedback is specific, constructive and explains the "why."
Bad feedback: "I don't like it."
Good feedback: "The font feels too playful for our professional audience. Can we try something more structured like a sans-serif?"
Bad feedback: "It needs to be better."
Good feedback: "The hierarchy isn't clear. The headline should be more prominent than the subtext. Can you increase the size difference?"
If you're not sure what's wrong, describe how the design makes you feel. "This feels too busy" or "this doesn't feel premium enough" gives the designer something to work with.
What to Expect From Your Designer
A professional graphic designer should:
Ask clarifying questions if your brief is unclear
Present concepts that address your stated objectives
Explain their design decisions
Deliver files in the formats you need
Provide source files if agreed (usually included in Kenya)
If your designer doesn't ask questions about a vague brief, that's a warning sign. Good designers want to understand before they create.
Getting Started With Your Design Project
Before you contact a designer:
1. Write your brief using the template above 2. Gather your existing brand assets 3. Collect 5-10 visual references of work you like 4. Set a realistic budget based on Kenyan market rates 5. Determine your decision-making process (who approves?)
With a complete brief in hand, you're ready to book a consultation and get design work that actually serves your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a graphic design brief be?
A good brief is typically 1-2 pages. It should be comprehensive enough to answer the designer's key questions but not so long that it becomes overwhelming. Focus on relevant information rather than length. If you can answer the seven questions above clearly, you have a complete brief.
Can I send my brief via WhatsApp?
While WhatsApp is convenient for quick communication, briefs sent as voice notes or scattered messages often lose important details. Write your brief in a document (Word, Google Docs, or even a well-formatted email) that the designer can reference throughout the project. You can share the document via WhatsApp, but create a proper written brief first.
What if I don't have brand guidelines yet?
Many Kenyan businesses don't have formal brand guidelines, and that's okay. Share whatever you have: your current logo, any colours you've used consistently, examples of your existing materials. If you're starting completely fresh, that gives the designer more creative freedom. Just be clear about this in your brief so they know they're working from a blank slate.
Should I tell the designer my budget upfront?
Yes. Being transparent about budget helps the designer scope the project appropriately. If your budget is KES 10,000, a good designer will tell you what's achievable at that price rather than quoting for a KES 50,000 project. Budget transparency leads to realistic proposals and fewer surprises.
How many design concepts should I expect?
Standard practice in Kenya is 2-3 initial concepts for logo projects. For other work like flyers or social media graphics, you might receive 1-2 concepts. More concepts aren't necessarily better. Quality exploration within a focused direction typically produces better results than scattered attempts in many different directions.
What file formats should I ask for?
For most design work, request:
Vector files (AI, EPS, SVG) for logos and graphics that may need scaling
High-resolution PNG files for digital use
PDF files for print
Editable source files (PSD, AI) if you need to make future changes
Specify your needs in the brief so the designer can quote accordingly. Source files may cost extra with some designers.
