Most automation projects become expensive when the brief is too vague.
"We want to automate this process" is not enough. A good brief should explain the work, the data, the decision points, and the risk.
This matters whether you are building a portal, dashboard, workflow automation, or AI agent.
Start with the workflow
Write the process in plain language:
- what starts the work
- who receives it
- what information is needed
- what decision must be made
- what happens next
- where the work currently gets stuck
If the workflow cannot be explained simply, it is not ready to automate.
Define the data
Automation depends on clean inputs.
List the fields that matter:
- client or account name
- request type
- documents required
- status
- owner
- deadline
- risk level
- approval requirement
This is where financial architecture, reporting logic, and portal design often connect. Bad data structure creates bad automation.
Show the human approval points
Some steps can be automated. Some should not be.
A serious brief should say where human judgement is required:
- pricing decisions
- compliance or risk checks
- client-facing responses
- financial approvals
- unusual exceptions
This is especially important when using AI agents. The agent should know when to draft, when to route, and when to stop.
Explain the output
Automation should produce something useful:
- a completed task
- a draft response
- a status update
- a dashboard event
- a document request
- an approval notification
- a management report
If the output is unclear, the build will drift.
Include success measures
A good automation brief should define what improvement means:
- fewer manual handoffs
- faster response time
- clearer reporting
- fewer missed documents
- better client visibility
- less spreadsheet chasing
- safer AI-assisted drafting
That is how the project stays commercial, not just technical.
A simple structure
Use this structure for a first brief:
- Current workflow
- Pain points
- Data required
- Owners and approval points
- Desired output
- Risk areas
- Success measure
- Links to current files, forms, portals, or examples
If you are not sure what to write, start with the structure diagnostic or send the current workflow through the contact page.