Business & Marketing / August 12, 2026
What a Print Production Brief Should Contain
A good brief reduces avoidable decisions at the point where time and material are least flexible.
01
Put the use case first
State where the piece will be read, held, posted, folded or installed. The same artwork can need different paper, ink, size and finish depending on that route.
Add the quantity, number of versions, delivery sequence and deadline. Those are not administrative details: they decide which production paths are realistic.
02
Specify what can move
Mark the fixed elements, the tolerances and the approval owner. If colour, stock or finish may change, name the acceptable alternative. A printer can solve a flexible brief; they cannot solve a silent one.
Source trail
Editorial workflow guide. Read the editorial method for the difference between a standard, an archive observation and practical synthesis.