Explain what needs to change
Start with the business problem in ordinary language. Describe what people do today, where the difficulty appears and why it matters. A statement such as “requests are copied between three tools and ownership is unclear” is more useful than a long feature list without context.
Include the improvement you want to see. That might be a clearer status view, fewer repeated steps or a simpler customer journey. Keep expected benefits separate from results that have already been measured.
Describe the people and their tasks
List the groups who will use the software and the tasks each group needs to complete. Customers, operational staff and administrators may need different views and permissions.
Choose a few important journeys and describe them from beginning to end. Include what information people need, what action they take and how they know it has worked. These journeys help guide interface design and testing.
Include the systems it must fit
Name the existing tools, data sources and integrations involved. Note whether documentation and system owners are available, without sharing passwords or sensitive customer records in the brief.
Mention constraints such as an existing application that must remain in service, an internal approval process or a required data location. Unknowns can be listed as questions to investigate rather than quietly treated as confirmed requirements.
Separate the first release from later ideas
Identify the smallest release that would address the main problem. Separate necessary capabilities from useful additions and longer-term ideas. This makes scope discussions more concrete and helps avoid treating every suggestion as a launch requirement.
Record deadlines and explain what makes them important. If a date is a preference rather than a fixed dependency, say so. Timing and cost should follow an agreed scope and technical review.
Think beyond launch
Include who will operate the software, manage access and review future changes. Ask about documentation, deployment, backups and support responsibilities as part of the project discussion.
A brief does not need to solve every technical question. Its job is to create a shared understanding of the problem and make the remaining questions visible. That is a useful basis for a focused discovery conversation.