A project brief that crosses disciplines

Start with what someone needs to do

Describe the project in plain language. Who is it for, what should they be able to do or experience, and what would a successful result look like?

Then identify the relevant work: art and fabrication, advanced manufacturing, digital engineering, or a combination. A project does not need all three simply because the studio connects them.

Check the brief together

1. Outcome: what should the work make possible?
2. Audience and setting: who will encounter it, where, and in what conditions?
3. Starting material: which models, drawings, content, photographs, or systems already exist?
4. Open decisions: what remains to be decided, and by whom?
5. Deliverables: what physical objects, files, interfaces, or documents are expected?
6. Evidence: what model, test, sample, or review will support each decision?
7. Handoffs: which result must one discipline receive before another can proceed?
8. Approvals: who can approve design, scope, and changes?
9. Constraints: which dates, budget limits, access requirements, or dependencies are fixed?
10. Next step: what is the smallest useful decision the team can make next?

Give every handoff an owner

A model file is not the whole handoff. Add the revision, its intended use, any unresolved assumptions, and the person who can answer questions about it.

The same applies to digital work. If a website must show a fabricated object, identify when approved photographs, dimensions, and descriptions will be available. If the object changes, identify who updates the related digital content.

For more detail, read briefing a sculpture commission or defining the next prototype test.

Bring the brief to a conversation

An incomplete brief is still useful when it makes uncertainty visible. Bring the materials you have, identify the questions you cannot answer yet, and agree the next decision before expanding the scope.

Luminary Studios covers sculpture and architectural art, 3Ready Prototyping Lab covers additive manufacturing and hardware R&D, and ResonantClicks covers digital engineering and web performance. Use the operating divisions to find the relevant practice, or start with Lunex if the work crosses disciplines.