How to Create a Project Brief: Steps, Examples, and Benefits

The former US President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, once said, “Plans are nothing; planning is everything.” That holds no matter what kind of project you’re running. Yet, only 36% of the projects consistently achieve the planned benefits.

One of the main reasons is a lack of a clear project brief. This simple document lays out what the project is about, why it matters, who’s involved, and what success looks like. Without it, teams waste time chasing unclear goals, missing deadlines, or reworking unnecessary tasks.

In this article, you’ll get a clear, step-by-step breakdown of what a project brief is, how to create one, and how to use it effectively.

Let’s get started!

What is a project brief?

A project brief captures the why, what, who, and when of a project in one clear document. It is one of the most crucial parts of project planning. But who creates a project brief? Since this document directly sets the course for project success, the project manager directly heads the creation of a project brief.

It’s not meant to replace detailed project plans or task lists. In fact, it sits one level above that. Where task lists focus on what to do today or next week, a project brief focuses on the bigger picture. It helps you define the purpose, scope, key milestones, and boundaries for the entire project.

A project brief forces you to step back and think through things like scope, available resources, potential risks, and expected outcomes before jumping into execution. You get a clearer picture of what’s realistic versus what might just be wishful thinking.

Why is it important to have a project brief?

The purpose of a project brief is to bring clarity to a team, yes. But there’s a lot more that it does that directly impacts your project success. Here are some of them:

Avoids risks

Plenty of things can go wrong in any project. Although you can’t prevent all of them, a project brief helps you properly manage the things that are in your control. You avoid running into the same problems twice. It’s not about predicting everything, just staying one step ahead where possible.

Boosts execution

Many teams waste their first few weeks getting organized, asking the same questions in meetings, or chasing half-formed ideas. A clear project brief helps skip that mess. Once the team knows the expectations, tasks move forward without needing constant clarification and redirection.

Improved collaboration across teams

When developers, designers, product managers, and leadership all have their versions of the plan in their heads, things fall apart fast. A project brief gives everyone a single reference point. There’s no need to guess the main goal, because everyone works with the same information.

Saves time and money

Nobody wants to spend hours or days on something and realize it was never needed in the first place. Rework, missed deadlines, and unclear scope always translate to lost time and wasted budget. A project brief helps avoid that by keeping expectations crystal clear.

When done right, a project brief is a quiet safety net. It doesn’t get in the way but keeps things predictable and in order.

What should a project brief include?

A good project brief doesn’t have to feel overwhelming, but here are a few key things it must cover to be useful:

1. Project name and administrative details: Start with the project title, internal reference numbers if needed, and any background information that helps set the context.
2. Client details: If the project involves an external client or partner, note down their name, contact person, and key preferences or requirements.
3. Project goals and objectives: Write down exactly what the project is aiming to achieve. Keep it focused, measurable, and clear so there’s no room for interpretation.
4. Success criteria: Define what success looks like. This could be specific performance metrics, customer feedback scores, or completion of particular tasks.
5. Target audience: Clarify who the end-users or customers are. Knowing your audience shapes everything from design decisions to communication tone.
6. Project scope: List what’s included and what’s not. Scope keeps things from growing bigger than planned midway through.
7. Deliverables: Write down exactly what needs to be produced during and by the end of the project, like reports, app features, or design files.
8. Timeline and milestones: Map out key dates, reviews, and delivery checkpoints. This keeps everyone on track without constantly chasing status updates.
9. Budget and resources: Note the required funding, the number of people, and the necessary tools or platforms the team will need. Consider including a contingency fund for unexpected expenses.
10. Key stakeholders: List everyone who has a say in the project’s direction. Make it clear who makes decisions and who just needs updates.
11. Assumptions: Mention things the plan depends on that aren’t confirmed yet. This could include the availability of a tool, a timely vendor delivery, or approval from another team.
12. Constraints: Note any limits upfront, like budget caps, fixed deadlines, platform restrictions, or anything else that could interrupt the project.
13. Potential challenges: List issues you already know could pop up, from integration delays to resource shortages, so the team stays ready.
14. Reporting and communication plan: Decide how progress will be shared. Set a rhythm for check-ins, updates, and where information gets documented, like Jira or Confluence.

Getting these components down upfront saves you a lot of back-and-forth later. It helps everyone work faster and with fewer misunderstandings.

Step-by-step guide to creating a project brief outline

If you are kicking off a new project soon, here’s how to approach a project brief step-by-step to keep it straightforward and clear:

Step 1: Gather initial requirements

Start by talking to the person who is requesting or funding the project. This could be a client, your leadership team, or product stakeholders. Ask them directly:

• What is non-negotiable? These could be things like specific features, integrations, timelines, or legal requirements that the project cannot go live without.
• What would be good to have but isn’t essential? These could be features that further improve an already excellent user experience, but they can be postponed if needed to meet a deadline.

Write these down clearly, so the expectations are clear.

Step 2: Define the purpose

Now that you know what’s needed, step back and write down why the project exists. The purpose of a project brief is not a task list or a set of goals. Tasks are actions. Goals are targets. Purpose is the reason behind both.

For example, building a reporting feature is a task, improving report accuracy is a goal, but helping leaders make faster decisions is the project’s purpose. Keep it to one or two clear lines.

Step 3: Define your target audience

The next question is, who is this for? Don’t settle for broad labels like ‘software users’ or ‘HR managers.’ Get specific with both demographics and psychographics.

Demographics cover roles, industry, company size, and location. Psychographics look at goals, pain points, workflows, and decision drivers.

Here’s an example of a specific target audience: Senior HR managers in mid-sized IT companies who want tools to save time on manual reporting. It is detailed and hence helps you target the exact audience that wants to hear from you.

Step 4: Evaluate success metrics

Evaluating success metrics starts by looking back at your performance. Check any past performance data or project results, if available. This forms your baseline and highlights areas needing improvement.

Use this data to set clear and SMART — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound — success metrics. For example, reduce onboarding time by 20% within three months.

With SMART metrics, your team knows precisely what target they’re aiming for, and doesn’t shoot in the dark.

Step 5: Define project scope and deliverables

Now that you know all the basics, get your core team leads together and map out what’s in and what’s out. Discuss the steps needed to hit the defined goals.

Make a scope statement that lists what features, services, or steps the project will cover, and be direct. For example: “Build three new dashboard reports” is clearer than “Improve reporting.” Avoid leaving anything open to interpretation.

After setting the scope, list the specific outputs that different teams are responsible for. Use checklists or structured tables if needed. Don’t assume people will figure it out along the way. Make sure it’s documented and visible to avoid scope creep later.

Step 6: Set a project timeline

Break the project into clear phases, like kickoff, research, design, development, reviews, testing, and final delivery. Add milestone dates for each. Prioritize sequencing so one phase finishes before the next begins. This also saves you funds.

Make sure to factor in buffer time for reviews and unexpected issues. That could mean adding a week for client feedback or an extra two days for QA.

Once the draft timeline is ready, share it with all stakeholders for feedback before finalizing it. It’s better to adjust now than mid-project when shifting dates becomes painful.

Step 7: Connect teams and resources

Once you have a timeline, it becomes obvious who needs to be involved. Identify each team or person handling part of the project and assign project-specific team heads.

Make sure it’s clear who is accountable for what and how teams will communicate, especially in overlapping areas. Establish reporting hierarchies to make this process even smoother.

Then check what resources are required, whether that’s people, tools, or budget approvals. Again, document everything.

Step 8: Collaboratively review and validate

Finally, before locking everything in, bring the brief for a team discussion. This is not just the core team, but also key stakeholders or department heads.

People will often spot missing details or misunderstandings that you didn’t catch on your own. Once everyone signs off, store the brief in a location accessible to all and treat it as the single source of truth for the project.

Following this order keeps things simple and saves resources. Plus, there is a pre-established order, so nothing gets missed or added randomly along the way.

How to use a project brief template

You can either create a project brief template or use an existing one. Here’s how to make sure it works for your team either way:

• Select the right one: Choose a template that covers all key components, like purpose, scope, timeline, deliverables, and team roles. Templates are often industry-specific, so pick one that fits yours to avoid overcustomization later.
• Customize for your project: Adjust the sections based on your project’s size and type. Remove what isn’t relevant and add details where needed.
• Maintain consistency: Use the same format across teams and projects. It keeps information easy to follow and reduces confusion when reviewing multiple briefs.
• Involve the team: Share the brief early. Ask team leads for input before finalizing it, so everyone works with the same understanding.
• Keep it current: Update the brief as things change. Don’t treat it as a one-time document. Keep it active and visible throughout the project.

Let’s look at some concrete examples of project briefs.

Project brief examples

Here’s a clear, real-world project brief example, showing how all key elements come together in a practical, structured format.

Use this project brief example as a blueprint. Detail all steps, resources, and stakeholders upfront so your project runs smoothly and delivers precisely what’s needed.

How to conduct a successful project briefing

A good project briefing isn’t just about reading out a document. It’s about making sure everyone leaves the room clear on what’s next. Here’s how to run it.

Prepare for the meeting: Share the project brief with key people a day or two before the meeting. Make sure they have time to read it, not just hear it live. This helps them prepare essential questions and discussions.

Present the project brief: Walk everyone through each section and focus on key decisions. Make it as simple as you can so everyone on the team can keep up.

Encourage discussion: Ask for input, questions, and address any confusion. Let leads and employees raise their concerns and even suggest ideas during this stage. They might come up with ideas that can cut the time or cost spent on specific steps.

Confirm next steps: End the meeting by summarizing what’s locked, what needs review, and who’s responsible for moving forward.

Send a summary: Document all the final decisions and share the updated brief with everyone involved to avoid any potential miscommunication.

A successful project doesn’t run on its own. It’s a team effort. So, encourage team involvement in every step so everyone feels invested and motivated to give their best.

Conclusion

A clear project brief sets the tone before the work starts and keeps things steady once it does. It gives your team a structure they can rely on when things go south.

But at the end of the day, the smoother your brief and communication are, the fewer surprises and delays your team will face.

So, start by drafting a simple on-page brief for your next project. Share it with your team, refine it together, and use it as your north star. With the right structure in place, you set your project and your team to succeed from the start.

And to make creating, sharing, and updating briefs easy, try out the Amoeboids suite of apps for Jira.

Book a demo now.

FAQs

Q1. What is the importance of a project brief?

A project brief is a short, structured document that outlines what a project is about, why it matters, and how it will get done. It can help your team avoid risks, bring clarity, improve collaboration, etc.

Q2. What should a project brief include?

A project brief should ideally cover purpose, scope, deliverables, timeline, success metrics, key people involved, and potential risks or challenges. This gives it a well-rounded overview of the project’s expectations.

Q3. What is a valid purpose of a project brief?

A project brief sets clear expectations and aligns everyone involved before the project begins, avoiding confusion or wasted effort later. It is one of the most crucial parts of project planning.

Q4. Who should the project brief be shared with?

The project brief should be shared with all key team members, stakeholders, and anyone responsible for execution or decision-making. All participants should be clear about what’s next.