How to write a brief people actually want to work on
5 min read
Most projects that go wrong don't fail at the end. They fail on day one, when the brief leaves too much to guesswork. The good news is that a clear brief takes about twenty minutes to write.
Start with the outcome
Before you list tasks, say what success looks like. "More bookings from our website" tells a professional far more than "redesign the homepage".
List the deliverables
Write down exactly what you expect to receive. Five page designs? A logo in three formats? Twelve edited videos? If you can count it, count it.
Share a budget and a deadline
You don't need an exact figure, but a range helps the right people say yes and the wrong ones step aside. Do the same with your timeline.
Show examples you like
Two or three links to work you admire are worth a page of description. Say what you like about each one.
Say how you'll give feedback
Who approves the work, and how many rounds of changes are included? Agreeing this early keeps the project friendly.