Common Design Brief Agreement
We’re working on a proposal to eliminate design tests as a requirement for job applications.
Your voice matters – share your thoughts:
Design Hiring is Broken
Over the past decade, design tests have become a standard part of the hiring process for creative roles.
Applicants are now routinely asked to complete customized exercises, often at the very first stage of applying. These tests can take several hours or even days to complete, frequently under tight deadlines.
Because the briefs are tailored to the hiring company’s brand and needs, the resulting work typically has little to no value to the designer beyond that single opportunity, resulting in millions of unpaid hours per year – all to hire a single applicant.
The process perpetuates systemic bias, exploits candidates’ time and labor, and falls short of basic ethical standards.
Building a Way Forward
The Common Design Brief Agreement is an initiative to establish a shared set of design briefs that can replace custom, one-off assignments in the job application process.
We’re currently gathering input from both those who hire designers and designers who’ve been asked to complete design tests as part of job applications.
The insights we get from these surveys will help us create a process for developing a standard set of briefs. Once available, designers will be able to use these briefs in place of doing custom design tests, and organizations that agree to accept this work can sign a pledge stating that they won’t request bespoke design tests in the future.
We’d appreciate hearing your thoughts:
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Survey information is anonymous unless you choose to provide your name and/or contact information. We may use data from your completed form – if we do, it will not be linked to your personal information.
Common Design Brief Agreement Roadmap
Phase 1 – Discovery
research current practices on design tests during the job application process
examine existing design brief tests
survey employers and designers on briefs and tests
create advisory group of designers and employers to review survey results
Phase 2 – Development
develop methodology for creation of common briefs
which information to include
which industries to cover
which design disciplines to focus on
which types of deliverables to include
determine final number of briefs
develop template for briefs
use template to develop preliminary briefs
create review process for preliminary briefs
give preliminary briefs to advisory group for review and provide feedback based on agreed-upon requirements
modify preliminary briefs based on feedback until approval is met
Phase 3 – Implementation
release common briefs on website along with methodology and explanation of how they can best be used
make public announcement of project launch
document feedback from designers and employers on use of common brief
display list of employers who’ve agreed to accept common briefs during the application process
host panel discussions to assess experiences and impact
publish findings
Help Build a Better System
We need your support to make this happen. Here’s what you can do:
Use the forms to share your experience with design briefs and tests
Share this page along with your thoughts on LinkedIn and elsewhere
Sign up as a member to attend our meetings and join in the discussion