After the contract has been signed, the designer (authoring team, studio, team) should start by collecting and analysing the necessary data about the brief.

The client should first provide the designer with a project baseline/brief, in which the client defines the communication problem that the designer is asked to solve. The designer helps the client by, for example, providing a list of topics to be covered in the baseline.

In cases where key communication elements are being designed and developed for a large company or corporation, it is advisable for the designer to organise a workshop with the management to ensure alignment with the strategic documents and the support of the management.

The designer arranges and records the client’s design baseline in a written document called a project brief.

Project brief interpretation, coordination and written approval by the client are key steps in project implementation.