creative-brief-public-version.doc

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<p>Creative Brief 
Date: [date] 
Between myself, [your name], and you [customer name]. 
1. Summary: 
I will always do my best to fulfil your needs and meet your expectations, but it's important to 
have things written down so that we both know what's what, who should do what and when, and 
what will happen if something goes wrong. In this contract you won't find any complicated legal 
terms or long passages of unreadable text. I have no desire to trick you into signing something 
that you might later regret. What I do want is what's best for both parties, now and in the future. 
So in short: 
You ([customer name]), located at [customer address] are hiring me, [my name], located at 
[address], to [design and develop a web site] for the estimated total price of [total] as outlined in 
our previous correspondence. Of course it's a little more complicated, but I'll get to that. 
2. What do both parties agree to do? 
You have the authority to enter into this contract on behalf of yourself, your company or your 
organisation. You will give me everything I need to complete the project as, when, and in the 
format I need it. You will review my work, provide feedback and approval in a timely manner 
too. Deadlines work two ways, so you will also be bound by dates we set together. You will also 
agree to stick to the payment schedule set out at the end of this contract. 
Ihave the experience and ability to do everything I have agreed with you and I will do it all in a 
professional and timely manner. I will endeavour to meet every deadline that is set and on top of 
that I'll maintain the confidentiality of everything you give me. 
3. Getting down to the nitty gritty 
3.1 Design 
I create 'personality-oriented' designs that communicate and connect your personal goals with 
your clients within the community and flexible layouts that adapt to the capabilities of many 
devices and screen sizes. I create iterative designs and use predominantly HTML5 and CSS3 so I 
won't waste time mocking up every template as a static visual. I may use static visuals to 
indicate a look-and-feel direction (colour, texture and typography). I call that 'design 
atmosphere.' 
You will have weekly opportunities to review my work and provide feedback. If, at any stage, 
you are unhappy with the direction of my work, you'll pay me in full for everything I have 
produced until that point and cancel this contract. 
3.2 Text content 
I am not responsible for writing or inputting any text copy. If you'd like me to write new content 
or input text for you, I can provide a separate estimate for that. 
3.3 Photographs 
You should supply graphic files in an editable, vector digital format. You should supply 
photographs in a high resolution digital format. If you choose to buy stock photographs, I can 
suggest stock libraries. If you'd like us to search for photographs for you, I can provide a 
separate estimate for that. 
3.4 HTML, CSS and Javascript 
I deliver templates developed from HTML5 markup, CSS3 stylesheets for styling and 
unobtrusive Javascript for feature detection, polyfills (backwards compatibility) and behaviours. 
3.5 Browser testing 
Browser testing no longer means attempting to make a website look the same in browsers of 
different capabilities or on devices with different size screens. It does mean ensuring that a 
person's experience of a design should be appropriate to the capabilities of a browser or device. 
3.6 Desktop browser testing 
I test my work in current versions of major desktop browsers including those made by Apple 
(Safari), Google (Chrome), Microsoft (Internet Explorer), Mozilla Firefox and Opera. I'll also 
test to ensure Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 for Windows users get an appropriate, possibly 
different, experience. I won't test in other older browsers unless you specify otherwise. If you 
need an enhanced design for an older browser, I can provide a separate estimate for that. 
3.7 Mobile browser testing 
Testing popular small-screen devices is essential in ensuring that a person's experience of a 
design is appropriate to the capabilities of the device they're using. I test my work in: 
iOS: Safari, Google Chrome and Opera Mini 
Android 4.1+: Google Chrome, Firefox and Opera Mini 
Android 3.2: Android Browser, Firefox and Opera Mini 
I currently don't test Blackberry OS, Blackberry QNX, Opera Mobile, Symbian or other mobile 
browsers. If you need me to test using these, I can provide a separate estimate for that. 
3.8 Technical support 
I am not a website hosting company so I don't offer support for website hosting, email or other 
services relating to hosting. You may already have professional hosting and you might even 
manage that hosting in-house; if you do, great. If you don't, I can set up an account for you at 
one of my preferred hosting providers. I can set up your site on a server, plus any statistics 
software such as Google Analytics and I can provide a separate estimate for that. Then, the 
updates to, and management of that server will be up to you. 
3.9 Changes and revisions 
Fixed-price contracts are rarely beneficial to you, as they often limit you to your earliest ideas. I 
don't want to limit your ability to change your mind. The price at the beginning of this contract 
is based on the length of time I estimate I will need to accomplish everything you have told me 
you want to achieve, but I'm happy to be flexible. If you experience any spontaneous creativity 
and want to change your mind or add anything new, that won't be a problem as I will provide a 
separate estimate. 
4. Legal stuff 
I cannot guarantee that my work will be error-free and so I can't be liable to you or any third-
party for damages, including lost profits, lost savings or other incidental, consequential or special 
damages, even if you've advised us of them. Finally, if any provision of this contract shall be 
unlawful, void, or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable 
from this contract and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining 
provisions. 
5. Copyrights 
First, you guarantee that all elements of text, images or other artwork you provide are either 
owned by your good selves, or that you have permission to use them. 
Then, when your final payment has cleared, copyright will be automatically assigned as follows: 
You will own the visual elements that I create for this project. I will give you source files and 
finished files and you should keep them somewhere safe as we are not required to keep a copy. 
You will own all elements of text, images and data you provided, unless someone else owns 
them. 
I will own the unique combination of these elements that constitutes a complete design and I will 
license that you, exclusively and in perpetuity for this project only, unless we agree otherwise, in 
which case I can provide a separate estimate. 
I love to showcase my work and share what I have learned with other people, so I reserve the 
right, with your permission, to display and link to your project as part of my portfolio and to 
write about it on websites, in magazine articles and in books. 
6. Payments 
I am sure that you understand how important it is as a small business that you pay the invoices 
that I send you promptly and courteously agree to stick tight to the following payment schedule. 
You will receive 3 invoices based on the total estimate split into: 
30% of total sum upfront for locking in time on the design schedule and to design wireframes 
and mockups; 
50% of total sum to carry through to the end of development; 
20% of total sum upon approval of completed site, prior to live launching. 
7. But where's all the horrible small print? 
Just like a parking ticket, you can't transfer this contract to anyone else without my permission. 
This contract stays in place and need not be renewed. If for some reason one part of this contract 
becomes invalid or unenforceable, the remaining parts of it remain in place. 
Although the language is simple, the intentions are serious and this contract is a legal document 
under exclusive jurisdiction of [English and Welsh] courts. 
8. The dotted line 
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Signed by and on behalf of [your name] 
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Signed by and on behalf of [customer name] 
Date [date] 
Everyone should sign above and keep a copy for their records. 
</p>