An integral part of a web project is the web design brief. This is a part of the design process that needs to be fully understood by all stakeholders before the project commences. It is however something that can be pushed to the side whilst people get caught up in assumptions and the pull of starting a project immediately without using foresight.
I have experience working in the recruitment and HR tech space, I’ve probably taken over a hundred web design briefs in that industry and thought it would be tantalising to test ChatGPT on how it’s AI would write a design brief for a rectuitment agency. The results were surprising!
Here was my task for ChatGPT.
“Write a Web design brief for a multi sector recruitment agency who only work in the UK and are specialists. They want to generate candidates, clients and look modern.”
ChatGPT response.
Introduction:
Our recruitment agency is a specialist in providing staffing solutions for multiple sectors in the UK. We want to create a modern website that reflects our brand image and generates leads for both clients and candidates. We are looking for a web designer who can help us achieve our goals.
Target audience:
Our primary target audience includes potential clients and candidates seeking employment opportunities in the UK. The website should appeal to professionals across different sectors, including finance, IT, healthcare, and construction.
Objectives:
Increase the number of qualified candidates and clients in our database.
Provide a user-friendly experience that makes it easy for candidates to find job listings and apply for positions.
Provide an easy-to-use interface for clients to search for candidates and post job listings.
Showcase our expertise and experience in providing staffing solutions for different sectors.
Enhance our brand image by creating a modern, visually appealing website.
Key features:
A job board that allows candidates to search for job listings and apply for positions.
A client portal that allows clients to post job listings and search for candidates.
A database that stores candidate and client information.
A mobile-responsive design that allows users to access the website on any device.
Social media integration to allow for easy sharing of job listings and other content.
Contact forms and chatbots to provide quick and easy communication with potential candidates and clients.
Clear calls to action to encourage users to apply for jobs or post job listings.
Design elements:
A modern, visually appealing design that reflects our brand image.
A clean and organized layout that makes it easy for users to find what they are looking for.
Consistent branding and color schemes throughout the website.
High-quality images and graphics that enhance the user experience.
Easy-to-read fonts and typography that are consistent throughout the website.
Timeline and budget:
We are looking to launch the website within three months, and our budget is flexible depending on the scope of the project. We are open to discussing pricing options and project milestones with potential web designers.
I was surprised at how accurate some of the content is compared to many of the briefs that I would have taken over the years. The fact that it knew to break the brief into sections such as Introductions, Target audience, Objectives etc. was hugely impressive. Picking up on how to explain that candidates and clients were key objectives whilst also emphasising that the site needed to be user friendly were all valid points. It even recommended making sure everything could be shared easily on the social channels. Incredulously it recommended a chat bot module to improve the experience for the customers further. Was it touting itself for extra business here?
Where it did lack, of course, was the ability to get a deeper understanding of the brand, the individuality of the company, and the exact objectives for the website. But it could be used as a starting point to help stimulate ideas and logic into writing a brief.
After reviewing and understanding the limitations of ChatGPT, I asked it to critique itself to find out what it thought of it’s own brief. The results were again surprising!
I posed this follow up question.
“Critique the design brief you have suggested to find pros and cons.”
ChatGPT response.
Pros:
The brief clearly outlines the key objectives of the website, such as generating candidates and clients and appearing modern.
Cons:
The brief does not provide specific details about the target audience or their needs and preferences, which could be helpful in creating a more tailored website design.
The brief could provide more guidance on the specific features and functionalities that the website should have, such as a job search function or a candidate profile system.
The brief could benefit from more information on the company’s brand identity and how it can be reflected in the web design.
I couldn’t agree more with that critique. Obviously AI can only go so far without knowing all there is to know about the business, site objectives, and everything in between, and by the time you would have taken to educate ChatGPT it would have been better spent creating the brief yourself. But I can see how some wording, layout, and structure could speed up some processes in the future.
