Check it out! Print it out! Use it! THE BULLETPROOF DESIGN BRIEF template helps you to get an agreement with your project client faster and smoother. It also helps you to finish the project more successfully. Innovation projects usually cannot be nailed down to reaching a certain outcome, as you want do deliver WOW! But WOW means uncertainty and simply no manager likes that. The question is: How can you agree on a final goal of an "disruptive" innovation/ design / business project? In order to have a "happy ending" of a project both parties involved need to sign a sheet of paper in advance. This paper should nail down some important constraints to the project, set the timeline clear (You NEED a finish line) and should describe the commitment you'll make. It also should state what the innovation could be and what it most definitely won't be. Keep following in mind: As long as everything's fine everybody is friends, but once money is involved and problems occur, things can get ugly fast. In this situations the other party might simply not remember what they said before. They might claim a native iPhone app, even though you always agreed on creating simply a prototype of an iPhone app. You might want to avoid this kind of situation and rather use the BULLETPROOF DESIGN BRIEF template to agree on your deliverables in written form to then exceed expectations and make your client really happy. Feel free to us this template for your projects, drop me any feedback on it and let me know about your experience at boris.milkowski@googlemail.com Cheers Boris

1. Executive summary ( ~ 5 lines)
What is the very core question this project will answer? What is the mission? Why does it have to be done now?
Title of the project
+ Sub-title of the project
What is exactly the challenge the company is facing right now? ( ~ 3 lines)
More background information and what has been tried so far. ( ~ 6 lines)
A joint project between:
Organization/
Company A
Organization/
Company Bx
*THE BULLETPROOF DESIGN BRIEF is a template for more successful innovation projects
Problem Statement Continued:
Problem Statement:
Project scope & mission statement:
Design Brief*
Regarding this joint project we fully agree on the specifications stated within this document.
Date, Signitature A Date, Signitature B
Created by Boris Friedrich Milkowski

2. THE BULLETPROOF DESIGN BRIEF is a template for more successful innovation projects
How many months will this project take?
What are the tentative dates for important milestones
What is the date of the final presentation
Team member 1: Name, firstname, role, email
Team member 2: Name, firstname, role, email
Team member 3: Name, firstname, role, email
Questions that could be asked and answered during the project to better understand and reframe the problem statement. (~ 5 questions)
For example:
• Who are our customers? Who could be our customers?
• What do they need to be the most productive and creative they can be and at the same time most cost efficient?
• What distinctiveness differs us to our competition?
Who are existing customers? Who could be potential customers? ( ~ 3 lines)
How will you measure the success of the project?
Try to define some measurable achievements. ( ~ 5 items)
Think of what you want to achieve qualitatively within this project. Think of internal &
external effects, which can go beyond idea generation (e.g. cultural change)
( ~ 5 lines)
Very important: What is the resolution of the final prototype?
Will it be a Working technology ready to be rolled out, demo prototype, concept?
Intent & scope:
Contact person 1: Name, firstname, Position, email
Contact person 2: Name, firstname, Position, email
Success metrics:
Target Customer:
Exploration Questions:
Timeline: Core Team members: Company Liaison:
Created by Boris Friedrich Milkowski