The Project Brief document provides a high-level and often contractual basis for the more detailed specifications to come. The Project Brief captures the business concept and very high-level requirements and design constraints, to give the reader an understanding of the system to be developed. It provides input to the project-approval process and communicates the fundamental "why's and what's" related to the project.

It also contains the Business Case, which is used to make an accurate assessment of the return on investment (ROI) or long-term effects provided by the project from the client's point of view.

The Project Brief also includes an initial risk list that is designed to capture the perceived risks to the success of the project.

A candidate system architecture is described to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the project.

Finally, the Project Brief contains an estimation of the project efforts.

The Project Brief document will be read by managers, funding authorities, and project team members.

The Project Brief will often be closely related to a Proposal.

The Project Brief should be approved and signed by the project’s Steering Committee or, if an proposal is being made, by the person responsible for the client relations and the Branch Manager before the proposal is made, and by the client when accepting the proposal.

• Client Relations
  
• Client
  
• Business Development (Business Case)
  
• Project Management

• Business Strategy

• Proposal
  
• Project Definition
  
• Project Description
  
• Project Manual
  
• Project Plan