About briefing. Q&A with Prof Kristian Kreiner, Copenhagen Business School

"Success is more likely if you adapt to the reality as it emerges, rather than insisting on the reality you socially constructed with others when formulating the brief."

What is construction briefing, why is it important, and what makes a good brief? In this Q&A, Professor Kristian Kreiner is offering his insights. Kristian is professor emeritus at the Copenhagen Business School and one of Denmark’s leading academics in the field of construction. Kristian points out that there is a tension between the trend to develop ever more specific briefs and the ambiguity, uncertainty and dynamism that are inherent to construction projects.

JvM: How would you define the concept of a brief?

KK: In its essence, a brief can be understood as an outline of a task that someone intends to delegate to others. The idea is to give the potential actor a fair idea about what performing the task will entail in terms of competence and effort. This can be done in different levels of detail. The general trend is to make briefs increasingly extensive and detailed, treating them like a contractual document. In that case, the brief not only describes the tasks but also the steps for achieving them.

JvM: Is there a difference between a competition brief and other kinds of briefs that are being used in construction projects?

KK: As said above, there is a general trend towards more elaborate briefs that are intended to serve as contractual documents. I see no reason why there should be a systematic difference between different parts of the construction industry since the trend reflects societal pressures and changes.

JvM: What makes a good brief?

A good brief is a mixture of instructions, indications, and inspirations. It should give a picture of the task ahead, but it should also reflect the ambiguity of the situation, the dynamic nature of preferences, and the unknowability of the real economic and technological delimitations of the task. Thus, the brief is an invitation to perform the task but also an invitation to explore and learn what the task entails or might entail. It should elicit the creativity of the task performers in treating the brief’s stated requirements as instructions (something taken literally), indications (something taken serious but not literally), and inspirations (something taken as a metaphor). 

JvM: How do you see the future of briefing? Do you, for example, expect changes, in relation to BIM/digitalisation or different ways of organizing construction projects?

KK: The trend towards extensive briefs will probably be strengthened by BIM and digitalisation. Like in the case of contractual decisions, the push is to have everything clarified up front, neglecting the ambiguity, uncertainty and dynamism that are inherent to construction projects. Neglecting such conditions will make briefs look incomplete and even wrong in retrospect. The likely learning will be to make briefs less brief, less ambiguous, etc., and therefore also less indicative of the task ahead. 

JvM: Any recommendations for construction clients in relation to briefing?

KK: Allow yourself to learn, not merely prior to the task performance but also during the task performance. You can write the brief as you wish if you do not use it as a success criterion for the execution of the project. Success is more likely if you adapt to the reality as it emerges rather than insisting on the reality you socially constructed with others when formulating the brief.