What is a project brief?

A project brief is a document that captures everything you need to know before starting a project. It's the foundation for your scope, quote, and creative direction. A good brief prevents the most common freelance headache: doing work based on assumptions instead of facts.

When should you use one?

At the very start of every new project - before you quote, before you scope, before you start. Use it during your kickoff call or discovery session to capture the client's goals, audience, preferences, and constraints.

What's included

Business context - who the client is, what their business does, and what problem this project is solving.

Project goals - what success looks like. Specific, measurable outcomes where possible.

Target audience - who the work is for. Demographics, behaviours, and what matters to them.

Requirements and preferences - specific needs, brand guidelines, technical requirements, and examples of work the client likes (and doesn't like).

Budget and timeline - the client's budget range and any hard deadlines.

Decision makers - who has final approval. This avoids the dreaded "my boss wants something different" after you've finished.