A good project brief saves time, money, and stress. It tells your freelancer what you need, what matters, and how to get started. The better your brief, the better the work.
You don’t need to write a long document. You just need to cover the right things. This guide will help you do that.
Why a Brief Matters
Without a brief, your contractor is guessing. They don’t know what you expect or how to make you happy. That’s how projects go off track.
With a clear brief, everyone understands the goal from the start. The work is faster. The result is better.
What to Include
Here’s what every good project brief should have.
1. A short overview
Start with one or two sentences. What is this project about?
Example:
“We need a new homepage for our website. It should feel fresh, easy to use, and match our brand.”
2. The goal
What are you trying to achieve?
Is it more sales? Better engagement? A brand update? Tell them the outcome you want, not just the task.
Example:
“The goal is to increase signups by making the homepage more clear and mobile-friendly.”
3. What you need done
Be specific. List the actual work you expect.
Example:
- New homepage design
- Copy for each section
- Final files delivered in Figma
If you’re not sure about all the details yet, say that. Just be honest.
4. Timeline
When do you want this done? Is there a hard deadline?
Example:
“We’d like to launch by May 10. Final delivery by May 1 gives us time to review.”
5. Budget
This helps your contractor know if they’re a match. Even a rough range is better than nothing.
Example:
“We’re budgeting $1,000 to $1,500 for this.”
If your budget is flexible, say so.
6. Style or examples
Show them what you like. Link to work, websites, or brands that feel close to what you want.
Example:
“We like clean, modern designs like stripe.com and notion.so.”
7. Anything to avoid
Tell them what you don’t want. Bad colors, overused trends, things that didn’t work before.
Example:
“Please avoid stock images and long blocks of text.”
8. Who they’ll be working with
Let them know who to contact, who’s giving feedback, and how often you’ll be in touch.
Example:
“You’ll work with me directly. I’ll review drafts and respond within 48 hours.”
Final Thoughts
Your brief doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be clear.
Even 15 minutes spent writing this down can save hours later. It helps your freelancer do great work, and it helps you get what you actually want.
If you’re not sure how to start, Hyrilla can help. We guide every client through the process and make sure the right info gets shared before any work begins.
