Designer handoff
Testimonial Design Brief for Your Designer
“Add a testimonials section” is how most briefs start, and it is why designers mock up three identical cards with lorem ipsum quotes, five gold stars and a stock headshot. The real content is longer, some of it is video, and the section has a job on that page. Fill in the fields below to produce a brief that tells the designer what the section must do and what it will actually hold.
- A short brief, a full brief or a redesign brief
- Starts from the page’s job, not a card style
- Hands over real content and embed details
Brief builder
Write the brief
Fill in what you know. Empty fields show in brackets so you can see what is still missing before you send it.
- Short brief
Subject: Design brief: testimonial section on the [pricing page]
Job of the section: help visitors [start a free account] by answering one doubt: “[will this work for a team our size]”. Content: [six] real testimonials ([four written, one video, one audio note]). The longest is about [80] words. Please design for that, not for a one line placeholder. It will be a StoryProof widget pasted in by [our web developer], so please choose from its layouts rather than designing custom cards. I will send the layout links. Due: [Friday 14th].
Everything you type stays in this browser tab. Copy the brief out when you are done.
The problem, solved
What breaks between brief and launch, and how StoryProof keeps the design honest
- Problem 1
The designer drew custom cards we cannot build
A bespoke card design needs a developer every time a testimonial changes, so the section freezes on launch day.
How StoryProof solves it
Brief the designer to choose from existing layouts. 19 widget layouts, from walls and carousels to compact badges and avatar strips.
- Problem 2
The mockup used one line placeholder quotes
Real testimonials are three times longer, so the grid breaks and cards end up different heights.
How StoryProof solves it
Choose the actual testimonials for the widget before design starts, and attach them to the brief so the designer works with the real set.
- Problem 3
Nobody designed for audio or video
The best testimonial is a voice note, and the design has nowhere to put a play button.
How StoryProof solves it
Tell the designer the set includes audio and video. Audio notes play in widgets and on the Wall of Love alongside video and written testimonials.
- Problem 4
The developer asked how to install it
The design is signed off and nobody told the developer what to paste or where.
How StoryProof solves it
Put the embed in the brief: a div with the widget id and the async embed.js script, which can load once per page and fill every widget on it.
- Problem 5
There was a badge in the corner we never designed for
A small “Powered by StoryProof” mark appeared on launch and the designer asked why it was not in the brief.
How StoryProof solves it
Mention it up front: the small badge shows on widgets until you are on Pro, so the design should leave room for it.
A one line request and a real brief
What designers usually get
- “Add a testimonials section, something like this site”
- No content, so placeholder quotes and stock photos
- No mention of video, audio or mobile
- Nobody named to install it
What this builder gives them
- The page goal and the doubt to answer
- The real testimonials, with lengths and formats
- Layouts to choose from and a phone width check
- Who embeds it and how it will be updated
In StoryProof
From brief to live section
Step 1 of 4
Choose the real set first
Pick the approved testimonials for the section before anyone designs.
Step 2 of 4
Send the brief with layout links
Attach the brief, the testimonials and links to the layouts you are considering.
Step 3 of 4
Give the developer the embed
Two lines: the widget div where the section goes, and the script, loaded once in the footer.
Step 4 of 4
Link to the full set
Add a link from the section to your Wall of Love for visitors who want to read more.
Before you start
What to tell your designer up front
Styling options are not promised here
This page makes no claim about how far colours, fonts or spacing in a widget can be changed. Check the layout pages or a demo before promising pixel control.
Layouts, not custom cards
The designer works within StoryProof’s layouts. A fully bespoke card design would need building and maintaining separately.
Content will change
Testimonials get swapped. A design that only works with one exact set of quotes will break the first time someone updates it.
The builder does not judge design
It writes the brief. Whether the result looks right on your site is a call for you and your designer.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Short answers to what usually comes up next.
What should a testimonial section design brief include?
The page and its goal, the doubt the section answers, the real testimonials with their lengths and formats, the layout options, mobile requirements, and who installs and maintains it.
Should I send the designer real testimonials or placeholders?
Real ones. Placeholder quotes are short and tidy; real ones are not, and a design built for placeholders breaks when the real content arrives.
Can my designer create a custom layout for StoryProof?
StoryProof widgets come in set layouts. Ask the designer to choose and place one; a bespoke card design would need building outside StoryProof.
Who should own the testimonial section after launch?
Whoever owns the page. Name them in the brief so that changes to the testimonials have someone to approve them.
Still have a question? Ask the StoryProof team or book a demo.
Give your designer real content to work with
Collect and approve testimonials, pick a layout and hand over two lines of embed code.
Last updated 2026-11-11.