A good brief does not need to be long. It needs to answer six questions, so agencies quote the same thing and you can compare them fairly.
Quotes for the same project can differ wildly because each agency imagines a different project. A short, clear brief fixes most of that. You do not need technical language. You need to answer these six questions.
1. What problem are you solving?
Describe the business problem, not the solution. 'Customers keep calling to book, and we miss calls at night' is more useful than 'we need an app'. It lets the agency suggest the simplest thing that works.
2. Who will use it?
List the kinds of users: customers, staff, admins, partners. Each one is a set of screens and permissions, so this is the biggest single factor in size.
3. What must the first version do?
Split your list into must-have for launch and later. A focused first version launches sooner, costs less and teaches you what to build next.
4. What already exists?
Mention current websites, apps, CRMs, payment providers, brand guidelines and designs. Connections to existing systems are a common source of surprise costs.
5. What does success look like?
More bookings, fewer support calls, faster pages, a product investors can try. A measurable goal helps the agency make trade-offs on your behalf.
6. When, and roughly how much?
Share your deadline and a rough budget range. It is not a negotiating weakness; it lets a good agency propose what fits instead of guessing.
The best briefs are short, honest about constraints and clear about what success means.
When comparing quotes
- Check that each quote covers the same scope, and ask what is excluded.
- Ask who will actually do the work, and whether you will meet them.
- Ask how you will see progress during the project.
- Ask what happens after launch: fixes, updates and support.
If you would like a second opinion on your brief, send it to us. Every project we take on starts with a 30-minute call and a fixed quote.
Related services: MVP development, UX audit, Custom website development.