403 lines
8.5 KiB
Markdown
403 lines
8.5 KiB
Markdown
# Tutorial 04: Create Your Product Brief
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**Hands-on guide to defining your project vision, goals, and constraints**
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---
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## Overview
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This tutorial walks you through creating a complete project brief that serves as the foundation for all design decisions.
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**Time:** 30-45 minutes
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**Prerequisites:** Module 02 completed (WDS installed)
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**What you'll create:** A complete project brief document
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---
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## What You'll Learn
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- How to articulate project vision clearly
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- Defining measurable business goals
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- Identifying stakeholders and their needs
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- Documenting technical and business constraints
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- Setting success criteria
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---
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## Before You Start
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**You'll need:**
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- A project idea (existing or new)
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- 30-45 minutes of focused time
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- Access to stakeholder information (if available)
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**AI Support:**
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- AI agent will guide you through each section
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- Ask clarifying questions
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- Help structure your thinking
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- Suggest improvements
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---
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## Step 1: Define Project Vision (10 min)
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### What is it?
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The project vision is a clear, compelling statement of what you're building and why it matters.
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### How to do it:
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**Ask yourself:**
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- What problem does this solve?
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- Who benefits from this solution?
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- What makes this unique or valuable?
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- What's the desired end state?
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**Example (Dog Week):**
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```
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Vision: A family coordination platform that helps parents manage
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their dog's care schedule, ensuring every family member knows their
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responsibilities and the dog's needs are consistently met.
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```
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**Your turn:**
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```
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Write your project vision:
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[Your vision here]
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```
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**AI Support:**
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```
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Agent: "Let me help you refine your vision. Tell me:
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- What problem are you solving?
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- Who is this for?
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- What makes it valuable?"
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```
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---
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## Step 2: Set Business Goals (10 min)
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### What are they?
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Specific, measurable objectives that define project success from a business perspective.
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### How to do it:
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**Framework: The SMART Model**
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- **S**pecific - Clear and unambiguous
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- **M**easurable - Can track progress
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- **A**chievable - Realistic given resources
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- **R**elevant - Aligned with business strategy
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- **T**ime-bound - Has a deadline
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**Example (Dog Week):**
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```
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Business Goals:
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1. Acquire 1,000 active families within 6 months of launch
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2. Achieve 70% weekly active user rate
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3. Reduce family coordination time by 50%
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4. Generate $50K MRR within 12 months
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```
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**Your turn:**
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```
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List 3-5 business goals:
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1. [Goal 1]
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2. [Goal 2]
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3. [Goal 3]
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```
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**AI Support:**
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```
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Agent: "Let's express these goals using the SMART model. For each goal, I'll help you:
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- Make it specific and measurable
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- Set realistic targets
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- Define timeframes"
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```
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---
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## Step 3: Identify Stakeholders (5 min)
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### Who are they?
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People who have a stake in the project's success or will be affected by it.
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### How to do it:
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**Categories:**
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- **Primary Users** - Direct users of the product
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- **Secondary Users** - Indirect beneficiaries
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- **Business Stakeholders** - Decision makers, investors
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- **Technical Stakeholders** - Developers, IT, infrastructure
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- **External Stakeholders** - Partners, regulators, community
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**Example (Dog Week):**
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```
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Stakeholders:
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- Primary: Parents managing family dog care
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- Secondary: Children participating in care, the dog
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- Business: Founders, investors
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- Technical: Development team, hosting provider
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- External: Veterinarians (future integration)
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```
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**Your turn:**
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```
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List your stakeholders by category:
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[Your stakeholders]
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```
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---
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## Step 4: Document Constraints (10 min)
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### What are they?
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Limitations and requirements that shape your design decisions.
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### How to do it:
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**Categories:**
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**Technical Constraints:**
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- Platform requirements (web, mobile, desktop)
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- Browser/device support
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- Performance requirements
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- Integration requirements
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- Security/compliance needs
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**Business Constraints:**
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- Budget limitations
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- Timeline requirements
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- Resource availability
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- Market positioning
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- Competitive landscape
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**Design Constraints:**
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- Brand guidelines
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- Accessibility requirements
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- Localization needs
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- Existing design systems
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**Example (Dog Week):**
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```
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Constraints:
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Technical:
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- Must work on mobile (iOS/Android) and web
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- Swedish language primary, English secondary
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- GDPR compliance required
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- Offline capability for core features
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Business:
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- 6-month timeline to MVP
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- Bootstrap budget (no external funding yet)
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- Small team (2 developers, 1 designer)
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Design:
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- Family-friendly visual language
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- WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility
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- Swedish cultural considerations
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```
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**Your turn:**
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```
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Document your constraints:
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[Your constraints]
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```
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**AI Support:**
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```
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Agent: "Let's identify constraints you might have missed:
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- Have you considered accessibility?
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- What about localization?
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- Any regulatory requirements?
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- Performance expectations?"
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```
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---
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## Step 5: Define Success Criteria (5 min)
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### What is it?
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Specific metrics that indicate whether the project achieved its goals.
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### How to do it:
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**Framework:**
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- **User Success** - How users benefit
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- **Business Success** - Revenue, growth, efficiency
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- **Technical Success** - Performance, reliability, scalability
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- **Design Success** - Usability, satisfaction, engagement
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**Example (Dog Week):**
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```
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Success Criteria:
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User Success:
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- 80% of users report reduced coordination stress
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- Average task completion time < 2 minutes
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- 90% task completion rate
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Business Success:
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- 1,000 active families by month 6
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- 70% weekly active users
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- $50K MRR by month 12
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Technical Success:
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- 99.9% uptime
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- Page load < 2 seconds
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- Zero critical security issues
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Design Success:
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- SUS score > 75
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- NPS score > 40
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- 80% feature discoverability
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```
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**Your turn:**
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```
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Define your success criteria:
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[Your criteria]
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```
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---
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## Step 6: Review and Refine (5 min)
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### Checklist:
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**Completeness:**
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- ✓ Vision is clear and compelling
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- ✓ Goals are expressed using the SMART model
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- ✓ All stakeholder groups identified
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- ✓ Constraints documented
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- ✓ Success criteria defined
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**Quality:**
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- ✓ Vision is inspiring and actionable
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- ✓ Goals are measurable and realistic
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- ✓ Constraints are specific and justified
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- ✓ Success criteria are trackable
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**AI Support:**
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```
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Agent: "Let me review your project brief:
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- Is the vision clear?
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- Are goals measurable?
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- Have we missed any constraints?
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- Can we track these success criteria?"
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```
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---
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## Step 7: Save Your Product Brief
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**Create file:** `A-Project-Brief/project-brief.md`
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**Use template from:** `workflows/1-project-brief/project-brief/complete/project-brief.template.md`
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**Populate with your content:**
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- Vision
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- Business goals
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- Stakeholders
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- Constraints
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- Success criteria
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---
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## What You've Accomplished
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✅ **Clear project vision** - Everyone knows what you're building and why
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✅ **Measurable goals** - You can track progress and success
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✅ **Stakeholder map** - You know who to consider in decisions
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✅ **Documented constraints** - Design decisions have clear boundaries
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✅ **Success criteria** - You'll know when you've succeeded
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---
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## Next Steps
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**Immediate:**
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- Share project brief with stakeholders for feedback
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- Get alignment on vision and goals
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- Confirm constraints are accurate
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**Next Module:**
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- [Module 03: Identify Target Groups](../module-03-alignment-signoff/module-03-overview.md)
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- Start mapping WHO your users are
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---
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## Common Questions
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**Q: What if I don't have all the information yet?**
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A: Start with what you know. Mark sections as "TBD" and refine as you learn more. The brief is a living document.
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**Q: How detailed should constraints be?**
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A: Detailed enough to guide decisions. If a constraint will affect design choices, document it specifically.
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**Q: Can I change the brief later?**
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A: Absolutely! The brief evolves as you learn. Update it when new information emerges or priorities shift.
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**Q: What if stakeholders disagree on goals?**
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A: Use the brief to facilitate alignment discussions. Document disagreements and work toward consensus before proceeding.
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---
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## Tips for Success
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**DO ✅**
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- Be specific and concrete
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- Make goals measurable
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- Document the "why" behind constraints
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- Get stakeholder input early
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- Keep it concise (2-3 pages max)
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**DON'T ❌**
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- Write vague, aspirational statements
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- Set unrealistic goals
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- Skip constraint documentation
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- Work in isolation
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- Over-engineer the brief
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---
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**Your project brief is the foundation for everything that follows. Take the time to get it right!**
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[← Back to Module Overview](module-04-overview.md) | [Next: Module 05 - Platform Requirements →](../module-05-platform-requirements/module-05-platform-requirements-overview.md)
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*Part of Module 04: Product Brief*
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