Write the purpose first.
A useful object begins with a specific job. A field guide helps someone identify a place; a small archive makes a collection findable; a reading guide helps someone follow an idea.
Write that job in one sentence. Then list the information the reader needs, in the order they need it. The format can follow from that list.
Bring what is already true.
- The purpose and audience.
- Approved words and contact information.
- Dimensions, quantities and intended materials.
- Any existing identity or production requirements.
- Who reviews the work and when.
Make the last check physical.
Read a printed sample at its intended size. Check the smallest type, the fold and the order in which panels appear. An on-screen file cannot tell you how paper will feel in a hand.
Agree who approves the final words and who sends the artwork to production. Keep one clear record of that approval.
Discuss your brief