Projects
Create a New Project Intake Form That Filters Vague Requests
Collect purpose, owner, deadline, audience, constraints, and success criteria before a new project enters the queue.
A project intake form is not bureaucracy when it prevents unclear work from becoming urgent work.
Ask what the project changes
Start with the business or workflow change the requester wants. A good intake question is “What should be different when this project is complete?”
This prevents the form from collecting tasks without understanding the outcome behind them.
Capture constraints early
Ask about deadlines, dependencies, required reviewers, budget limits, access needs, and known risks before planning starts.
Constraints are easier to handle when they appear at intake. They are harder when discovered halfway through delivery.
Define acceptance criteria
Acceptance criteria describe how the requester will know the project is complete. They can include approved copy, working links, final files, or a stakeholder sign-off.
Without acceptance criteria, a project can drift because different people are imagining different finish lines.
Quick checklist
- Ask for the desired outcome.
- Collect deadline and requester.
- Record dependencies.
- Define acceptance criteria.
- Reject or return incomplete requests.
Guide FAQ
How should I adapt this guide for a small team?
Start with the checklist, assign one owner, and run the workflow for one week before adding extra fields or process steps.
Should this replace our project-management software?
No. These guides are designed to clarify lightweight workflows. They can support a larger tool, but they do not need to replace one.
What is the best first step?
Write the outcome you want, choose the smallest related template or checklist, and test it on one real workflow before scaling it.