Dream Brief

Purpose

The Dream Brief flips traditional briefing on its head: instead of describing the problem and constraints, the team writes the brief from the future, describing what the world looks like after the solution has succeeded. This positive framing energises the team, clarifies the true desired outcome, and reveals which success criteria actually matter.

At a glance

• Group size: 3–10
• Duration: 25 minutes
• Difficulty: Low to moderate
• Facilitation style: Guided creative writing exercise
• Setting: Any room; individual or pair work

How to run

1. Set the frame (3 min): "Imagine it’s one year from now. Our solution has launched and it’s a huge success. Write the brief that describes what happened."
2. Write the dream brief (12 min): Each person or pair writes a one-page brief including: the headline result, what users are saying, what metrics changed, what the team is proud of, and what surprised everyone.
3. Share and compare (7 min): Read the briefs aloud. Note overlaps (shared vision) and divergences (unresolved tensions).
4. Extract criteria (3 min): From the shared themes, derive 3–5 concrete success criteria that will guide the project.

Materials needed

• Paper or shared document
• Dream brief template (optional)
• Timer
• Markers for highlighting shared themes

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Too vague: "Users love it" is not specific enough. Push for measurable outcomes: "NPS increased from 30 to 65."
• Only metrics: Include emotional and qualitative elements — what does success feel like?
• One person writes for the team: Each person should write their own brief. The differences are the most valuable data.
• Never revisited: Post the dream brief on the team wall and reference it throughout the project.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Allow verbal recording as an alternative to writing.
• Provide a template with prompts for those who find blank pages intimidating.
• Encourage briefs that describe inclusive, accessible outcomes.

Variations

• Dream press release: Write a newspaper article announcing the solution’s launch (Amazon’s "working backwards" method).
• Dream user review: Write a 5-star review from a specific user persona.
• Dream team retrospective: Write the retro the team will hold after the project succeeds.

When NOT to use this

• When the team is cynical about the project and dreaming would feel forced — address the cynicism first.
• When specific constraints must be set before any visioning (e.g., budget, timeline are non-negotiable).
• When the problem is not yet understood well enough to envision the outcome.

Source & further reading

• Amazon — "Working Backwards" method (press release approach)
• Cooperrider & Whitney — *Appreciative Inquiry* (Berrett-Koehler, 2005)
• Lewrick, Link & Leifer — *The Design Thinking Playbook* (Wiley, 2018)