Start with the change you want
Describe what a viewer, reader or customer should understand or do after encountering the work. A deliverable is a format; an outcome explains why that format matters.
Name the audience and destination
A short film for a live event and a vertical social edit have different needs. State where the work will appear and who it is for.
Describe what already exists
List the source materials, current edit or manuscript stage, known permissions and available brand assets. Flag gaps rather than hiding them in an attachment.
Decide what matters most
When scope, schedule and budget pull in different directions, say which constraint is firm. Identify who can approve tradeoffs.
Make review possible
Name one approval contact, consolidate feedback and set review dates. Distinguish a correction against the brief from a newly requested deliverable.
Describe the handoff
Ask for the formats, versions and usage notes you will actually need. Keep editable source files, licenses and ongoing support explicit in the agreement.
Use these questions to prepare your next conversation. Your written project agreement determines the actual scope and terms.
Prepare a project brief ↗← Back to the journal