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The most common briefing mistake is leading with a solution rather than a problem. 'We need a new website' is not a brief. 'We are generating fewer than five enquiries per month from our digital presence and need to change that' is a brief. The distinction matters because a consultant's job is to diagnose the right solution — and they cannot do that if you have already decided what to build. Describe the business problem you are trying to solve. Describe who your clients are and what they are looking for. Describe what is currently happening and why it is insufficient. This context enables a consultant to design a solution that actually addresses the root cause.
Budget transparency accelerates the process and produces better outcomes. When clients withhold their budget, they force consultants to guess — and they will either over-engineer a solution or under-deliver. Sharing your budget does not mean accepting the highest price. It means the consultant can design a solution that maximises value within your real constraints. If your budget is R80,000, say so. A good consultant will tell you what R80,000 can realistically accomplish and give you a clear choice about priorities. A great consultant will find ways to deliver more value within the constraint than you thought possible.
A brief without success criteria is a project without accountability. Define what a successful outcome looks like in measurable terms. Not 'a beautiful website' but 'a website that generates 20 qualified enquiries per month within six months.' Not 'better search visibility' but 'first page ranking for three primary service terms within twelve months.' These criteria give the consultant a target to aim at and give you a basis for evaluating whether the project delivered value. They also surface misalignments early — if your success criteria are not achievable within your budget, it is better to discover that before work begins.
A brief should include: a description of your business and what you do, the specific problem you are trying to solve, your target audience and their characteristics, your budget range and timeline, any constraints or non-negotiables (existing systems, brand guidelines, technical requirements), examples of work you admire and why, and your definition of success. It does not need to include a feature list, wireframes, or technology specifications — that is the consultant's job to determine.
A good response to your brief will demonstrate that the consultant understood the problem you described, not just the solution you might have mentioned. It will include questions that clarify your objectives, demonstrate relevant experience with similar problems, and provide a clear explanation of their approach and why it addresses your specific situation. Be cautious of responses that ignore your brief and propose a generic solution. Be encouraged by responses that push back on your assumptions or identify considerations you had not accounted for — that is what expertise looks like.
Independent systems architect and digital strategist. I build digital infrastructure for organisations that cannot afford to get it wrong.