Understanding Ambiguous Design Requests: A Lesson in Clarifying Project Requirements

Navigating vague project directives can be a challenging aspect of development work. Recently, I encountered a situation that highlighted the importance of clear communication and requirement understanding when working on branding and UI design.

The Assignment: A Vague Brief

I was tasked with a project ticket that simply stated: “Create the brand’s look and feel.” The instructions lacked specifics—no visual references, no style guides, just a logo. Naturally, I interpreted this as an opportunity to develop a comprehensive visual identity system, including colors, typography, and overall aesthetic consistency. I proceeded to design a flexible theming framework that allowed for seamless updates across the application through configurable parameters, aiming for scalability and reusability.

The Unexpected Outcome

Later that week, after presenting my work, I was informed that the actual goal was much narrower: to ensure the login screen aesthetically aligned with the brand’s colors and look. I suggested extending the theme application to the login interface to maintain consistency. However, my proposal was met with silence. Shortly after, I received an email indicating I was being withdrawn from the project.

This was particularly perplexing because I hadn’t received any prior negative feedback—only a casual remark during the daily standup from the Project Manager: “I’m busy because I actually work,” which felt unprofessional and unnecessary.

Reflective Questions

This experience raises an important question:
How should developers handle vague instructions like “create the brand’s look and feel”? Was my approach of building a flexible, scalable theming system misguided?

Your insights and experiences would be greatly appreciated. How do you navigate unclear project briefs, and what steps do you take to ensure alignment with stakeholders’ expectations?