Define the task
Digital project brief
Describe the task before choosing a website, game or app.
- When to use it
- When there is a business need or an early idea, but no agreed format or scope.
- What you will have
- A shared description of the task, known constraints and questions to resolve before estimating the work.
- When not to use it
- A small change to an agreed project needs a change description, not a new full brief.
View the worked example
The example is fictional. It demonstrates completion, not the outcome of an actual project.
Business need
Introduce walking routes and show people where they can take a break along the way.
Audience and intended action
City residents choosing a weekend walk. Intended action: choose a route. Audience needs still need to be checked.
Facts and assumptions
The fictional brief includes descriptions of three routes. Assumption: a short comparison will help people choose. Open question: whether a map is needed.
Deliverables and boundaries
Compare two formats and test a prototype first. Ecommerce, registration and contact collection are outside this stage.
Constraints and available material
Route copy and photographs are available. Launch date and budget are not agreed. Image rights need checking.
People and next decision
The marketing lead clarifies the task; a manager approves spending. Next decision: choose a small test of the idea.
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Sources and adaptation
An extension of Keiss Media’s existing worksheet informed by 18F’s design hypothesis method. Added client, decision and constraint fields. This is not an official 18F form.
- Design hypothesis18F, U.S. General Services Administration · CC0 1.0 Universal
Version 1.0 · 15 October 2026