Project brief template
Four linked documents that get a project started and keep it honest: why now, the one objective, what is in and out, who decides, the milestones and the risks. Download them as Markdown files: they open in any editor, show their diagram on GitHub and in Obsidian, and import into Nodary as a map.
4 Markdown files in a .zip, 4 kB
Free, no account, no email. Use it, change it, share it.
Read every page before you download
The brief fits on one screen and links to three parts: the people, the plan and the risks. Italic lines say what to write; the examples follow one sample project, moving a help center to a new site before a contract ends.
Documents
File Project brief template/Project brief.md
Project brief
How to use this template: italic lines are guidance. Replace them with your own words, then delete them. Values in square brackets are yours to fill in. Keep this page to one screen: anyone joining the project should understand it in five minutes.
At a glance
| Field | This project |
|---|---|
| Project | [Name] |
| Sponsor | [name] |
| Project lead | [name] |
| Start | [date] |
| Deadline | [date] |
| Budget | [amount, or people and weeks] |
| Status | [proposed, approved, running, done] |
| Next milestone | [name and date] |
Why now
What happens if the team does nothing. A brief without a reason to start now is a wish list.
Example (a sample project): The help center’s hosting contract ends on 30 June. After that date, its 400 articles and the search behind them go offline.
[Why this project, and why now]
Objective
One outcome, measurable, with a date. If you need two objectives, you probably have two projects.
[What is true when the project is done, and by when]
Scope
- In scope: [...]
- Out of scope: [...]
- To be decided: [...]
Constraints
- Budget: [...]
- Deadline: [...]
- People: [...]
- Must not change: [...]
The rest of the brief
Each part is its own document. Link to it rather than copy from it, so every fact lives in one place.
- Stakeholders and roles: who decides, who does the work, who is consulted and informed
- Plan and milestones: milestones, phases, budget and reporting
- Risks and decisions: risks, assumptions, the decision log and open questions
This template is free to use, change and share. It comes from Nodary, where these files import as a map of linked documents.
File Project brief template/Project brief/01 Stakeholders and roles.md
Stakeholders and roles
Everyone the project depends on or affects, and what each person does in it. A stakeholder who learns about the project at launch is a risk you could have avoided.
People
| Person or team | Role in the project | Responsible for | Decides on |
|---|---|---|---|
| [name] | [sponsor] | [...] | [budget, scope] |
| [name] | [project lead] | [...] | [...] |
| [team] | [...] | [...] | [...] |
RACI
Responsible does the work, accountable decides and answers for it, consulted is asked before, informed is told after. Exactly one accountable per line.
| Work | Responsible | Accountable | Consulted | Informed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Scope] | [...] | [...] | [...] | [...] |
| [Budget] | [...] | [...] | [...] | [...] |
| [Delivery] | [...] | [...] | [...] | [...] |
| [Launch] | [...] | [...] | [...] | [...] |
Example (a sample project): Content migration: the support team is responsible, the head of support is accountable, the product team is consulted on article structure, and sales is informed of the new addresses.
How we communicate
- Weekly update: [where and when]
- Decisions: [where they are written]
- Questions: [where to ask, and who answers]
File Project brief template/Project brief/02 Plan and milestones.md
Plan and milestones
The plan at the level the sponsor reads. Detailed tasks live where the team works; this page says when each milestone lands and how you will know.
Milestones
| Milestone | Date | Done when | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| [...] | [date] | [...] | [name] |
| [...] | [...] | [...] | [...] |
| [...] | [...] | [...] | [...] |
“Done when” is the column people skip. Without it, a milestone is only a date.
Example (a sample project): Content migrated, 15 May: done when every article opens on the new site with its links working, checked by support.
Phases
- Brief approvedPlan
- PlanBuild
- BuildReview
- ReviewLaunch
- LaunchWrap-up
Mermaid
flowchart LR n0["Brief approved"] n1["Plan"] n2["Build"] n3["Review"] n4["Launch"] n5["Wrap-up"] n0 --> n1 n1 --> n2 n2 --> n3 n3 --> n4 n4 --> n5
Budget
| Item | Estimate | Spent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| [People] | [...] | [...] | [...] |
| [Tools and services] | [...] | [...] | [...] |
| [Contingency] | [...] | [...] | [...] |
Reporting
How often progress is reported, to whom, and what turns a status from on track to at risk.
- On track: [...]
- At risk: [...]
- Off track: [...]
File Project brief template/Project brief/03 Risks and decisions.md
Risks and decisions
Risks
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | What we do about it | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [...] | [low, medium, high] | [low, medium, high] | [...] | [name] |
| [...] | [...] | [...] | [...] | [...] |
Example (a sample project): Redirects from the old addresses are not ready by 30 June: high impact. The developer sets them up in May and support tests the 50 most-read articles.
Assumptions
What you believe but have not checked. Each assumption is a risk until someone confirms it.
- [Assumption], checked by [name] by [date]
- [...]
Decision log
Every decision that changes the scope, the date or the budget: what, who, why, and which page changed.
| Date | Decision | Decided by | Why | Page changed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [date] | [...] | [...] | [...] | [...] |
Open questions
- [Question], [who answers it], [by when]
How to use it
Write the brief in one sitting
Fill in the overview with the sponsor and the project lead, in about an hour: why now, the objective, the scope and the constraints. Everything else follows from them.
Name one decider
In the RACI, give every piece of work exactly one person who is accountable. Two deciders means none.
Turn dates into checks
For each milestone, write what “done” means. A date without a check moves quietly.
Revisit it at each milestone
Check the brief against reality at every milestone, update the risks, and log each decision that changes the scope or the date.
Import it into Nodary as a map
Nodary is an AI-native workspace where a team’s documents link instead of piling up. Import the .zip and the brief arrives with its three parts filed under it and its links kept. Give each document an owner and a due date, see every date on a calendar, and follow a milestone with a live progress view that says whether it lands on time. AI agents connected over MCP read the brief before they plan work in it.
- Open a project’s map and choose Import.
- Choose the Folder or ZIP tab, then Choose a ZIP.
- Pick the downloaded file, check the tree, and import.
The Free plan holds ten documents per workspace, the project’s own page included: the template’s four fit with room to spare. Nodary also has a one-page Project Brief template built in.
How Nodary connects project documentation
Writing a brief that starts a project well
A project brief fails when it is a wish list nobody can say no to, or a document nobody opens after the kickoff. These habits prevent both.
Give a reason to start now
Say what happens if the team does nothing. A brief without a deadline of its own competes with every other idea, and loses.
One objective, with a date
If you need two objectives, you probably have two projects. Write the one outcome that means success, and when.
Write down what is out
The out-of-scope list is the one that protects the date. Each line on it is an argument you will not have later.
Name one decider
Every decision needs one person who answers for it. A committee can advise; it cannot decide.
Say what you assume
Every assumption is a risk until someone checks it. Write them down, with who checks each one.
Keep it short and current
One screen for the brief, a page per part. Update it when the project changes, so it never describes a project that no longer exists.
Questions about project briefs
What is a project brief?
A project brief is a short document that sets out why a project exists, what it must achieve, what is in and out of its scope, who is involved and how it will be run. It is written before the work starts, so that the sponsor, the team and anyone joining later agree on the same project.
What should a project brief include?
The reason to start now, one measurable objective with a date, the scope and what is out of it, the constraints, the stakeholders and their roles, the milestones with what done means, the budget, the risks and assumptions, and a log of decisions. This template has a document for each group.
What is the difference between a project brief and a project charter?
Both describe a project before it starts. A charter is usually a formal document that authorizes the project and the project manager, signed by a sponsor. A brief is shorter and lighter: it aligns the people involved. Many teams use a brief as their charter.
What is a RACI?
A table that says, for each piece of work, who is responsible (does it), accountable (decides and answers for it), consulted (asked before) and informed (told after). Its main rule: exactly one accountable person per line.
How long should a project brief be?
The brief itself should fit on one screen. The details, such as the plan, the RACI and the risks, live in their own pages linked from it, so the first page stays readable.
Can I use it for client projects?
Yes. Agencies and consultants use a brief to agree on scope with a client before work starts. Keep the out-of-scope list and the decision log especially current: they settle most disagreements.
Keep the project where the team works.
Import the template into Nodary and the brief becomes a map that your team and your AI agents keep current. Free with two members, one project and ten documents, no card needed.