How to write a good project brief (even if you are not technical)
A clear brief leads to a more accurate quote, a better plan and fewer surprises. You do not need technical knowledge — just honest answers to a few simple questions.
Many people hesitate to contact a studio because they feel they need a detailed specification first. You do not. A good brief is not a technical document; it is a clear description of what you want to achieve. The technical plan is our job. Here is what helps us most.
1. The problem you want to solve
Start with the why. "Customers keep calling to ask about availability" or "our old website does not work on phones" tells us far more than "we need an app". Often there is a simpler or better solution than the one you first imagined.
2. Who it is for
Describe the people who will use it: their age range, how comfortable they are with technology, what device they use, which language they speak. A booking tool for busy parents and an internal dashboard for accountants look very different.
3. What success looks like
How will you know the project worked a few months after launch? More enquiries, fewer support calls, a certain number of players, better rankings? Even a rough goal helps us prioritise.
4. Must-haves and nice-to-haves
Split your wishes into two lists. The first is what the project cannot launch without. The second is everything that would be great but could come later. This single step makes budgets and timelines much more realistic.
5. Examples you like — and dislike
Links to websites, apps or games you admire are extremely useful, especially with a sentence on what you like about them. Examples you dislike are just as helpful.
6. What already exists
- Your logo, brand colours or style guide.
- Existing content, photos and texts.
- Systems the project must connect to, and who manages them.
- Accounts you already have: domain, hosting, app store developer accounts.
7. Timing and budget
Share any fixed dates, such as a launch event or a season, and a budget range if you have one. A range is not a commitment; it simply lets us suggest the scope that fits, instead of guessing.
Half a page of honest answers is a better brief than twenty pages of features. We will ask the rest.
If you are not sure about some of these points, that is completely normal. Send what you have through our contact page and we will work out the rest together.
