Briefs: Reasons To Balance Between Detail And Creativity

As Erich Fromm says, “Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties”. A too detailed brief is an indication of being firm regarding every minute detail that you want. It’s not bad to know what you want, but too many details leave no scope for expressiveness or invention. It is like following a tight schedule and having no room for freedom.

Does Not Allow One To Be Imaginative 

Creativity is essential these days. With a huge amount of advertisements out there, being unique and getting your brand highlighted becomes a challenge. In the need to attain perfection, we sometimes get in too much and provide an over informative brief. In the need to strike the right execution i.e. sticking to the brief, the creative gets lost. Freedom allows the kickstarting of the thinking process. Following instructions of the detailed brief obstructs the brain from being imaginative and presenting critical thinking. 

Leads To A Non-Collaborative Approach 

While a detailed brief ensures productivity, it is a non-collaborative approach to the project. A union of strategic understanding is required to gain an effective result. Allowing the company to give their inputs and ideas can prove to be worthwhile for the project. Company’s do expect a well-produced brief from their clients. However, overloading them with exhaustive brief snatches away their right of providing their inputs. 

Holds Back On Improvisations 

A detailed brief restrains the company from revising and improvising the project nor does it let it adapt to a new format. In the need to stick to the client’s vision, the creative part gets the cornerstone. The inclusion of creativity is often poorly understood because of its open-ended nature. Merging of ideas and streamlining the creative process with the planned goals relieves you from the headache of nailing the target. Hearing the voice of multiple stakeholders helps you with quality work. A precise direction is what fosters inspiration to the team, not a meticulous brief.

Miss Exposure To Multiple Ideas 

Lose the chance of evaluating multiple ideas and first judging their worth. With a given set of instructions, it becomes difficult for the team to work on more ideas and provide many solutions. It gets you to reduce choices and limits the scope. In order to create better, you miss out on future opportunities. Do not fear the ambiguity of creativeness. Sometimes the best work arises out of the chaos. 

Instead of defining all the terms in much detail in the given brief. Let the company know what you want in pointers. Focus on the ‘What you want’ part, leave the ‘How to do it’ part of the company. Maybe you can also highlight your creative expectations from the company, letting them know of the creative discretion permitted. You can define the levels of creativity that the company can attain. This can ensure that the brief is to the point and creative. 

What information is to the brain is what food is to the body. Just like you can not overeat, overthinking is a big no. With the tendency of overwhelming the brief with information, you lose the ability to act. Do not hold yourself back with the fear of failure. Take your chance and be comfortable with the mess of creativeness.

Read our blog post here to know why your budget and brief should align