You can read my thoughts can’t you? - Why a written brief is crucial to success

I’ve been thinking lately about why some assignments go smoothly and provide satisfaction and success to all involved. And the conclusion, is that a clear and effective brief is a key factor. And more than that, a clear, effective brief that’s in writing.

Why? Because it means that thought has been given to all the elements involved before the job is started, which means that everyone involved understands the ultimate objective of the piece of work, and the elements required to help meet that objective successfully.

That in turn saves time, money and frustration.

Sometimes though, it can seem like it’s too much effort, or the ‘job’ isn’t worth spending the time. And we can be as guilty as the next person, taking instructions on the fly and getting on with the ‘doing’. Oftentimes this works out but is the result as effective as it could have been if a more strategic approach was taken.

It’s a discipline to prepare a brief. However, there are key questions to be asked that can be established in a template so that you capture the essentials:

• What is the task
• What are the objectives
• Who is the target audience, what do you know about them
• What is the single or unique minded proposition
• What is the appropriate tone to be taken
• What are the mechanical elements that need to be adhered to / included
• What’s the timing
• What’s the budget

You can always add more, and we can expand on this with you if you’re interested. And if you don’t give us a written brief, don’t be surprised if we capture what you say and supply it back to you in writing so you can be sure we’ve read your thoughts correctly!

We're ready to take your next brief...

Written by Dale Cowie