The document outlines the essential components of a successful retail design brief, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive information on landlord and client requirements. Key elements include design criteria, existing site drawings, and budget considerations, which are crucial for effective project execution. Ultimately, a well-structured design brief fosters a solid understanding among stakeholders and aids in the smooth rollout of retail concepts.

1. June | 2015
Tool Kit
Design Brief
Fundamentals
Elements for a Successful Retail Design Rollout

2. | Design Brief Fundamentals | Toolkit | Monday, June 15, 20152
introduction
Think Blink
At Shikatani Lacroix, we design compelling at-purchase
moments that connect in the blink of an eye.
Our philosophy and strategic design approach,
Think Blink, is driven by a consumer’s motivation to make
a purchase decision. Everything we do is geared to owning
the “at-purchase” moment. Our firm has a well-earned
reputation for designing integrated brand experiences that
effectively connect brands with consumers to drive
measurable results for clients.
About the author
Kevin Chan, Director of Client Services, Retail
Shikatani Lacroix
Kevin joined SLD in 2011 with over nine years of architectural
technology experience.
As Director of Client Services, Retail at Shikatani Lacroix,
Kevin is responsible for design planning, business
development, and managing client relationships for SL’s
retail, digital and implementation projects.
Recognized for his responsiveness and thoroughness, Kevin
works closely with his clients to process all of the necessary
information required throughout a project, including design
briefs, specifications, research results and data
documentation, timing and budgetary information.
Kevin’s close attention to detail is evident through his
capacity to communicate complex project details to a
multitude of stakeholders. His exemplary communication
skills are demonstrated through his ability to liaise seamlessly
between clients, consultants and internal SL teams, all while
delivering project requirements for the client on time and on
budget.

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introduction
Fundamental Elements to Design Briefs
The foundation of any design project is the design brief. The two major facets included in
effective design briefs are the landlord/base building requirements and the client requirements.
The information below briefly outlines the key elements required to rollout an existing retail
design concept into a new or existing space.
What Makes a Successful Retail Rollout Design Brief?
A thorough design brief should provide the design team with all of the information required to
execute the task as well as outline the full scope of the project including client expectations. The
design brief should be focused on exactly what you want to achieve before any work
on the project is started.

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part one
Landlord/Base Building Requirements
1. Design Criteria
The design criteria portion should outline what can and
cannot be done from a design standpoint. This includes
requests that are pertinent for the design team to know such
as the mandatory use of glazing for a storefront design, or
any restrictions in using specific finishes within the space.
The design criteria is typically communicated via PowerPoint
presentation or is written in a Specifications Manual,
sometimes referred to as Schedule C.
2. Address
The street address and/or unit number, especially if within a
mall environment, is very important. It allows the agency to
look up the address online and view the location from a
digital map. This also provides the agency with a sense of
where the space is located in conjunction with major streets
and/or the adjacent tenants. If there are no sidewalks or
roads, thereby no visible pedestrian traffic, we know that
applying signage to that particular elevation may not serve
any value.

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3. Existing Drawings
Drawings of the existing space are mandatory to include in a
design brief. AutoCAD format is always preferred as it avoids
the designer having to redraw an entire space. Alternatively,
PDF format will work.
When asking for drawings of the existing space, the following
drawings are particularly important to request:
• existing floor-plan
• existing elevations and building sections (interior/exterior)
• mechanical & electrical drawings.
4. Existing Photos
Seeing is believing. It is essential that photos of the existing
space be supplied in a design brief as it will give designers a
sense of the existing conditions they are working with. It also
allows the designer to look at the current space and detect any
important structural or architectural elements, such as existing
electrical panels or plumbing fixtures, to be aware of.
When asking for photos of the existing space, the following are
important elements to capture:
• storefront
• floors and ceilings
• windows
• electrical/mechanical elements.

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5. Landlord Supplied Items
As part of the real estate agreement, clients will always be
given an outline of what the Landlord will supply within the
space. With shell projects, it’s important to identify the
allowances and responsibilities for new partitioning, carpets,
lighting and paint.
Note that there will always be variations in individual tenant
needs and with what landlords are willing to provide.
Electrical and mechanical expectations are very important to
know as alterations to these elements can be extremely costly
and time consuming.
“Our philosophy and
strategic design
approach, ThinkBlink,
is driven by a
consumer’s motivation
to make a purchase
decision. Everything
we do is geared
to owning the
at-purchase moment.

7. | Design Brief Fundamentals | Toolkit | Monday, June 15, 20157
part two
Client Requirements
1. Budget
If a client is able to confirm how much money
they have budgeted from a design and
construction standpoint, it is extremely helpful
to include that information in the design brief.
Ensure that you ask your client to separate how
much they have allowed for design fee costs
versus construction costs.
2. Special Elements
Outside of a typical rollout, the design brief
should include any special elements to the
design or brand standards that the designer
should follow (a.k.a. the “Client Wish List”). Key
design elements will often vary depending on
what type of space is being designed. Design
elements, which will often change, are point of
sale (POS) quantities, seating, standardized
fixtures and back of house (BOH) requirements.
It is important that clients identify what changes
need to be made to a typical design rollout,
prior to starting a Blackline, in order to avoid
scope crawl and additional services.

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3. Project Life Cycle
and Critical Dates
The client must supply a project life cycle,
complete with milestones and the opening
date. Critical dates are also necessary for
instance when there is a need to apply for
permits, tender, construction etc.
In some cases, generating the project life cycle
is part of the agency’s scope, in which case
the client must supply an open date in order
for the agency to generate a work-back
schedule.

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conclusion
Everything we do is
geared to owning the
“at-purchase” moment.
To ensure there is a solid foundation and mutual
understanding between the agency, landlords and clients,
an informative design brief is essential.
It should be focused on what the end-results should be and
effectively captures the landlord/base building requirements,
including the design criteria, address, existing drawings,
photos and items supplied by the landlord, as well as the
client’s requirements, including the budget, personalized
design elements and the critical dates. Remember, outlining
the key elements will allow for a smooth rollout of a design
concept into a new or existing space.