TutorialLearn by doing

Brief your first project

In this tutorial, we’re going to create a project in Collaboration Hub, fill in its brief, and send it on to the next stage of its workflow. A project is where a piece of content work lives, from the first request to the approved result, so briefing one well is the first skill a project manager needs. By the end, you’ll have a briefed project with its supporting files and a collaborator, moved into the next stage of its workflow.

This is part 1 of 6 in the project manager tutorials. Next: Run your first project review.

Prerequisites

To follow this tutorial, you need:

  • Access to create projects in Collaboration Hub. This doesn’t come from a user role: your administrator grants it through a group, and group names vary between workspaces.

  • A colleague with a Storyteq CMP account, to add as a collaborator in step 4.

  • A file on your computer to use as a supporting document, such as a PDF or an image.

Within a project, people also have project roles, such as project owner or co-project owner. These are assigned in each project, separately from user roles. When you create a project, you become its project owner.

What you see here depends on your workspace’s configuration. The project types, the tabs and fields in a brief, and the stages of each workflow are set up for your workspace. This tutorial follows a typical project; your tabs and stage names may differ. To change them, contact your administrator.

Step 6 moves the project into the next stage of its workflow. That’s a real action: it can notify colleagues and give them work to do. If you’re following this tutorial in a live workspace, tell the people involved first, or ask your administrator whether there’s a project type you can use for practice.

What we’ll create

We’ll create a project called Tutorial spring campaign, set its dates and milestones, and fill in its brief. Then we’ll attach a supporting file, a reference asset from the DAM, and a link to a shared document, add a colleague as a collaborator, and complete the brief. Finally, we’ll move the project into the next stage of its workflow.

The tutorial takes about 30 minutes, including the videos, in six steps:

Step 1: Create the project

Every project starts from a short form that sets its name and dates.

Create a project (1 min 17 s)

We’re going to create our project and let the platform plan its milestones.

  1. From your dashboard, select the quick link to start a new project.

  2. In the project name field, enter Tutorial spring campaign.

  3. Set a start date of today and an end date four weeks from today.

  4. Select Next.

  5. Choose to calculate milestones from a selected date, and select the start date as the reference date.

  6. Select Create.

The project opens in its workspace.

You’ll notice that:

  • Fields marked with a red asterisk were mandatory.

  • The milestones have been calculated for you, working forward from the start date, using the time each stage of the workflow is expected to take.

Milestones are the checkpoints the project should reach as it moves through its workflow. You can adjust them later from the Milestones tab.

Step 2: Fill in the project details

The project’s tabs guide you through the brief in order.

Fill in the project details (1 min 6 s)
How the project tabs unlock (1 min 4 s)

We’re going to complete the first tab of the brief.

  1. Open the project details tab.

    It’s usually called Project details, but the label depends on the project type; for example, it may be Keywords.

  2. Fill in every field marked with a red asterisk. Use Spring campaign wherever a campaign name is asked for.

  3. Select Save and Continue.

You’ll notice that:

  • A green tick appears on the tab you completed.

  • The next tab unlocks, and the Resources tab opens.

  • The transitions panel at the top right is still locked.

The project is now in the Briefing state. Only you can see it at this point, so you can take your time getting the brief right.

Step 3: Add resources

Resources are the files a project needs: supporting documents, reference material, and later, the content itself.

Upload a resource (1 min 5 s)

We’re going to add three kinds of resource: a file from your computer, an asset from the DAM, and a link.

First, upload a file.

  1. In the Resources tab, select the Supporting Documents folder.

  2. Select Add, then Upload, and choose the file you prepared.

  3. Select Upload.

  4. Select Manage New Resource.

The file appears in the folder, with a preview and its file type.

Add a reference file from the DAM (1 min 5 s)

Next, add an approved asset from the DAM as a reference.

  1. Select the Reference Files folder.

  2. Select Add, then Use Existing Reference Files.

  3. Search for an asset, select its checkbox, and select Select.

If your project has no Reference Files folder, its project type doesn’t use reference files, so continue with the link.

You’ll notice that the asset now appears in the project. The project holds its own copy, so later changes to the asset in the DAM don’t affect it.

Add a link to a document (1 min)

Finally, add a link to a document that lives elsewhere, such as a shared folder.

  1. Select the Supporting Documents folder.

  2. Select Add Supporting Document, then the option to upload a new supporting document from a URL.

  3. In the name field, enter Brand guidelines.

  4. In the URL field, enter the address of any document you can open, such as your organisation’s brand guidelines.

  5. Select Upload, then Manage New Resource.

Manage project resources (55 s)

Select the Brand guidelines thumbnail.

You’ll notice that:

  • The details panel on the right displays the link, with an icon to open it in a new tab.

  • When you select a resource, a toolbar appears with Download and .

Everyone with access to the project can open and download its resources. That’s why the brief’s supporting material belongs here rather than in an email.

Step 4: Add a collaborator

Collaborators are the people who work on a project with you. Each one has a project role that decides what they can do in it.

Add a collaborator (1 min 12 s)

We’re going to add your colleague as co-project owner, so they can help manage the project.

  1. Open the Collaborators tab.

  2. Select Add Collaborators.

  3. In the Collaborators field, start typing your colleague’s name, then select them from the list.

  4. In the Role field, select Co-Project Owner.

  5. Select Save.

You’ll notice that your colleague now appears in the collaborator list, with the role you chose. They get the access that role allows, and no more.

Some roles, such as project manager or content creator, are assigned later, as the project reaches the stage that needs them.

Step 5: Complete the brief

With the details, resources, and collaborator in place, we can sign off the brief.

Complete the brief (1 min 4 s)

We’re going to check everything on the summary tab and complete the brief.

  1. Complete any remaining tabs, selecting Save and Continue on each one.

    The Summary tab opens when every required tab is complete.

  2. Read through the summary. It lists everything you’ve added to the brief.

  3. Select the checkbox to confirm the information is correct.

  4. Select Complete Brief, then Continue.

You’ll notice that:

  • The project is still in Briefing.

  • The transitions panel at the top right is now unlocked.

Completing the brief doesn’t send the project anywhere on its own. It confirms that the brief is ready, so you can choose when it moves on.

Step 6: Move the project on

The transitions panel shows where the project is in its workflow, and moves it to the next stage.

Read the transition timeline (1 min 4 s)

First, read where the project is.

  1. Hover over each stage in the transition timeline at the top right.

  2. Select the clock icon to open the project history.

You’ll notice that:

  • Completed stages are green, the current stage is highlighted, and stages still to come are grey.

  • Each stage has a name and a short description of what happens there.

  • The project history records each action so far, with who did it and when.

Complete a transition (45 s)

Now move the project to its next stage.

  1. Select the Transitions field to display the options available at this stage.

  2. Choose the transition that submits the brief.

    If more than one path is offered, choose the one that sends the brief to the next stage of the work.

  3. Select Go.

You’ll notice that:

  • The timeline moves on to the next stage.

  • The project history records the transition.

A transition is what triggers the workflow’s automated actions, such as notifying the next person and giving them access. Until you complete a transition, none of that happens.

The finished project

Here’s what we’ve built:

  • Project: Tutorial spring campaign, with dates and calculated milestones.

  • Brief: the project details, completed and signed off.

  • Resources: a supporting file, a reference asset from the DAM, and a Brand guidelines link.

  • Collaborators: you as project owner, and your colleague as co-project owner.

  • Stage: moved on from Briefing to the next stage of its workflow.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you’ve learned how to:

  • Create a project and calculate its milestones.

  • Fill in a brief using the project’s tabs.

  • Add resources from your computer, the DAM, and a link.

  • Add a collaborator with a project role.

  • Complete a brief and move the project to its next stage with a transition.

When the project reaches a review stage, continue with Run your first project review. To follow the project as it moves through its workflow, continue with Follow your first project through its workflow.

Understanding Collaboration Hub explains how projects fit into the content workflow.