Describe the problem
The best briefs describe a problem, not a solution. “Our sign-ups stall at the pricing page” gives a team something to solve. “We need a new pricing page” gives them something to decorate.
If your brief contains a design decision, ask why — and write that down instead.
Rule of thumb
One honest paragraph about what isn’t working is worth more than ten pages of background.
Name the audience
Who is this for, and what should they do next? Be as specific as you can: a role, a moment, a worry. “Everyone” is not an audience.
Write the sentence your ideal customer would say to a friend after using the result.
Try this
If you have research, attach it. If you don’t, say so — that’s useful information too.
Budget, deadline, decision
Agencies can’t propose the right thing without a range. Share the budget band, the real deadline (and why), and who signs off.
Budget range · Hard deadline and the reason · One decision-maker.
Checklist
Hidden budgets lead to proposals that are either too timid or too big. Both waste everyone’s time.
Define success
Agree how you will know it worked before any work starts: a number, a behaviour, a date. It turns every later review into a simple question.
A written success metric turns “I don’t like it” into “does this move the number?”
Why it matters
Keep the whole brief to one page. If it doesn’t fit, it isn’t clear yet.