The PRINCE2 Project Brief is foundational documentation that requires Project Board approval — alongside an Outline Business Case and Initiation Stage Plan — before the project can commence. But too many project briefs end up longer than they need to be, filled with generic content that delays approval and frustrates stakeholders.
Keeping the documents short, writing in bullet points, and using tables are powerful tricks for project efficiency and for demonstrating agility to stakeholders.
The Six Components
A PRINCE2 Project Brief contains six core components. Each can be kept concise:
- Project Definition — background, objectives, scope, and constraints
- Outline Business Case — the reason for the project and expected benefits
- Project Product Description (PPD) — what the project will create, at what quality
- Project Approach — how the work will be done (e.g., build vs. buy, waterfall vs. agile)
- Management Team Structure — who is in the Project Board and team
- Role Descriptions — responsibilities for each key role
When Simplified Templates Are Appropriate
For straightforward projects with clear methodologies, simplified templates are not just acceptable — they are preferable. A one-page table that covers each component concisely is often more useful than a twenty-page document that nobody reads.
Reserve comprehensive, detailed templates for complex initiatives with uncertain approaches, multiple stakeholder groups, or significant ambiguity about scope or delivery method. For these, the extra reflection is genuinely worthwhile.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don't oversimplify too early — a single-page brief may feel lean, but it often doesn't prompt the reflection needed to secure a good start
- Don't get stuck in brief mode — if missing information won't change the decision to initiate, document it as "to be clarified in the PID" and move on
- Don't duplicate the PPD and Scope — see Scope vs PPD for how to separate these clearly
Download a ready-to-use Project Brief template from the PRINCE2 Templates page.