What Should You Include in a Project Brief?

A clear project brief can save a huge amount of time before a project even starts. Whether you are hiring someone to build a website, design a capability statement, create social media content, develop branding or prepare business documents, the information you provide will directly affect how accurately the work can be quoted and delivered. A project brief does not need to be complicated or beautifully designed. It simply needs to explain what you need, why you need it, who it is for and what the finished result should achieve. The clearer the brief is, the easier it becomes for a supplier to understand the scope, identify potential issues and give you a realistic quote.

What is a project brief?

A project brief is a written summary of the key requirements for a project. It gives the person completing the work enough background to understand the business, the objective, the audience, the expected deliverables and any important restrictions or deadlines. For a straightforward project, the brief might only be a page or a detailed email. A more complicated website, marketing campaign or document project may need additional information and supporting files. The important part is not how long the brief is, but whether it gives both sides a clear understanding of what is actually being agreed to.

Start with a short business overview

Begin with a few sentences explaining what your business does, who you work with, where you operate and anything else that is directly relevant to the project. You do not need to provide your entire company history. For example, instead of simply writing that you need a new website, you might explain that you operate a construction consultancy in Victoria, primarily work with residential and commercial clients and want the new website to explain your services more clearly while introducing an online booking process. That immediately gives the provider useful context about the industry, audience and reason for the project.

Explain what you are trying to achieve

The provider needs to understand the purpose behind the work, not just what you want created. A website might be needed because the current one looks outdated, is difficult to use on mobile or is not generating enough enquiries. A capability statement may be required because the business wants to apply for tenders. A social media project might be needed because the business has struggled to post consistently or wants to improve local awareness.

Knowing the goal helps the person completing the work make better decisions. It also makes it easier to determine whether the requested deliverables are actually going to solve the problem.

Be clear about what needs to be delivered

This is one of the most important parts of the brief. Explain exactly what you expect to receive at the end of the project. For a website, this might include the number of pages, contact forms, mobile optimisation, basic SEO, booking functionality or payment setup. A document project might include a capability statement, company profile, presentation or proposal template. Social media work could include a set number of posts, captions, graphics, scheduling and campaign creative.

You do not need to know every technical detail, but the more clearly the expected deliverables are described, the easier it becomes to create an accurate scope and price.

Explain who the finished work is for

Your target audience can influence the tone, design, wording and structure of the project. A capability statement written for procurement teams will be very different from a brochure aimed at everyday customers. A website targeting homeowners may need to communicate very differently from one targeting commercial contractors. You do not need a complicated customer persona. A simple explanation of who you are trying to reach, what they are looking for and what matters to them is usually enough.

Include what you already have

Let the provider know what material already exists. This might include an existing website, logo, brand guidelines, photographs, previous documents, written content, social media accounts or old marketing material. Even if some of it needs to be replaced, it can still be useful for understanding the business and avoiding unnecessary duplication. It also gives the provider a much clearer idea of what needs to be created from scratch and what can be reused or improved.

Clarify who is providing the content

This is particularly important for websites, documents and marketing projects. Explain whether you will provide final written content and images or whether the provider needs to write, edit or source them. A five page website where all copy and photography are supplied is very different from a five page website requiring research, copywriting, image sourcing and content planning. The same applies to brochures, presentations and social media packages. Making this clear early can prevent unexpected costs later.

Mention any technical requirements

If the project needs to use a particular platform or connect with an existing system, include that information in the brief. A website may need to be built in Wix, Squarespace, Shopify or WordPress, while a booking system may need to integrate with an existing calendar or payment platform.

If you do not know which system is required, explain what you need the finished project to do. A good provider should be able to recommend the most appropriate setup based on the outcome rather than expecting you to know the technical solution yourself.

Share examples of what you like

Examples can save a huge amount of time during the design process. You might share websites, document layouts, colour palettes, social media accounts or screenshots that demonstrate the style you prefer. Try to explain what you actually like about each example. Saying that you like the clean layout, simple navigation or strong use of imagery is far more useful than sending a link with no explanation. It can also help to mention styles you do not like, particularly if there are design directions you want to avoid completely.

Include your branding requirements

If the business already has established branding, provide the relevant logo files, colours, fonts and brand guidelines. This helps make sure the new work fits with the rest of the business.

If the project is part of a brand refresh, explain what is currently not working and what you want the new direction to communicate. Clear branding information at the beginning of the project usually means fewer unnecessary revisions later.

Give a realistic deadline

Include the date the work genuinely needs to be completed. If the project is connected to a tender deadline, event, launch, meeting or campaign, explain that as well. A clear deadline allows the provider to determine whether the work can realistically be completed in time. If the turnaround is unusually short, that should be discussed before work begins because urgent projects may require other work to be rearranged.

Explain the approval process

If more than one person needs to review the work, clarify who has final approval. Projects can become difficult when several people provide conflicting feedback at different stages.

Where possible, have one main decision maker or combine feedback before sending it back to the provider. This keeps revisions organised and reduces the chance of the project repeatedly changing direction.

Mention the budget if it matters

You do not have to provide a budget if you genuinely do not know what the project should cost. However, if there is a strict amount available, it can be useful to mention it.

A provider can then explain what can realistically be achieved within that amount or offer different scope options. This is often more productive than designing a large solution only to discover later that the budget only allows for a smaller project.

Include any restrictions or special requirements

Mention anything that could affect how the work needs to be completed. This might include confidentiality, legal or compliance requirements, accessibility, brand restrictions, privacy considerations, specific file formats or platform limitations. These details can significantly affect the project and are much easier to plan for when they are known at the beginning.

Separate what is essential from what is optional

If you have several ideas but not all of them are essential, make that clear. You might explain that a five page website, contact form and mobile optimisation are required, while a booking system and blog setup would be useful if the budget allows. This lets the provider quote the essential project accurately while also giving you optional additions without creating confusion about what is included.

What if you do not know exactly what you need?

That is completely normal. You may know what problem you are trying to solve without knowing the service or technical solution required. In that situation, describe the problem instead. You might explain that customers are constantly asking the same questions because the website does not explain the process properly, or that the business wants to start applying for larger contracts but its current documents do not present the company professionally. That gives the provider something useful to work from and allows them to recommend the most appropriate next step.

Why a clear project brief can save money

A good brief reduces guesswork and helps the provider quote the project more accurately. It also reduces the likelihood of major changes later because both sides have already discussed what is and is not included. Projects often become more expensive when the scope changes halfway through. Adding extra website pages, a booking system, additional documents or an entirely new design direction can significantly increase the workload. A clear written brief gives both sides something to refer back to if the project begins moving beyond the original scope.

Common project brief mistakes

The most common problem is being too vague. Requests such as “I need a website” or “I need help with marketing” leave too much open to interpretation. The opposite problem is providing enormous amounts of information without explaining what is actually important. Other issues include changing the project objective after work has started, failing to supply content on time, adding major deliverables during revisions and having multiple people provide conflicting feedback. Most of these problems can be reduced by agreeing on the scope and responsibilities before the project begins.

Final Takeaway

A useful project brief should explain the business, the project goal, the target audience, the expected deliverables, what material already exists, who will provide the content, the required timeframe and any technical, branding or budget considerations. It does not need to be a huge formal document. It simply needs to give the person completing the work enough information to understand what you are trying to achieve. A little more clarity at the beginning usually means a more accurate quote, fewer misunderstandings, fewer unnecessary revisions and a much smoother project from start to finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a project brief be?

There is no required length. A straightforward project may only need a detailed email or one page, while a more complicated project may require additional supporting information.

Do I need a formal brief before requesting a quote?

No. For many small business projects, a clear written explanation is enough as long as it provides the information needed to understand the scope.

Can I include screenshots and examples?

Yes. Screenshots, links and examples are extremely useful when they help explain the style, layout or functionality you want.

What if I do not know the technical requirements?

Explain what you need the finished project to achieve. The provider can recommend the appropriate technical solution.

Should I include my budget?

If you have a genuine limit or range, it can help the provider recommend a realistic scope. If you do not know what the project should cost, you can simply ask for a quote based on the requirements.