Give the idea a working title.
A title gives you something to point to. It doesn’t need to be clever or final. “Ten photos of my neighbourhood” is more useful at the beginning than a perfect name you haven’t found yet.
Answer five small questions.
- What am I making? Describe the thing in one sentence. Use a concrete noun: a story, a poster, a website, a collection.
- Who is it for? “Just me” is a valid answer. If it is for someone else, name what you hope they will get from it.
- What is the smallest complete version? A three-page site is easier to begin than a whole platform. Define a version that can stand on its own.
- What will I leave out? Write down two or three things that can wait. A boundary protects the project from becoming everything at once.
- What will I do next? Choose a visible action, such as sketching three layouts, rather than a vague aim like “work on the design.”
A worked example: I’m making a six-photo neighbourhood series for my friends. The first version is a simple contact sheet. I’ll leave out printing and a website for now. My next step is choosing one street and taking a camera there on Saturday.
Keep the brief light.
Give yourself ten minutes. Use imperfect sentences. This is a working note, not a pitch. When something changes, update the brief instead of treating the original version as a promise you cannot break.
Return to it when you get stuck.
Ask whether the next decision serves the small version you set out to make. If it does, continue. If it doesn’t, put it on a “later” list. Your brief should help you choose, not give you another thing to maintain.
Take the blank brief with you.
A plain-text template you can open in any notes app.
Download the brief ↓