Planning template
Project brief template
Frame the problem, the goal and the plan before anyone starts building or prompting.
Project brief: [Project name]
Fill in the brackets and delete what you don't need. A good brief fits on one screen and answers three questions: why this, why now, and how we'll know it worked.
Owner: [Name] · Reviewers: [Names or roles] · Status: Draft
Summary
[Two or three sentences a busy reviewer can read first. What are we doing, for whom, and what changes when it's done?]
Problem
[What is happening today, and what does it cost? Point to real signals (support themes, research notes, numbers) and say where each one came from.]
Goals and non-goals
- Goal: [An outcome you can check later, stated plainly]
- Goal: [A second outcome, only if there really is one]
- Non-goal: [Something people might reasonably expect that this project will not do]
Audience
[Who is this for first? Be specific enough that someone could name three of them.]
Scope
| In scope | Out of scope |
|---|---|
| [Something we will deliver] | [Something we are deliberately leaving out] |
| [Something we will deliver] | [Something for a later round] |
Milestones
| Milestone | Owner | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Brief approved | [Name] | [Week] |
| First review round | [Name] | [Week] |
| Ready to ship | [Name] | [Week] |
Success measures
- [A measure, the number that counts as success, and when you will check it]
- [An early warning sign that should make us change course]
Risks and open questions
- To do: [Risk or question] — owner: [Name]
- To do: [Risk or question] — owner: [Name]
Notes for reviewers
Say what kind of feedback you need this round (direction, detail or a final check) and point reviewers at the sections that matter most.