The most useful document in any project we run is also the shortest. Before we design anything, we write a one-page brief with the client and both sides sign it off.
What goes on the page
- Who the work is for, in one sentence
- The one thing it has to change
- What we're not doing
- How we'll know it worked
- Dates, budget and who makes the final call
Why one page
A long brief hides disagreements. A short one surfaces them in the first week, when they're cheap to fix, instead of in the final presentation.
When it changes
Briefs change, and that's fine. When they do, we rewrite the page and sign it again, so everyone knows which version we're working to.
