Start with the problem, not a list of features.
If your organisation is dealing with a difficult workflow, disconnected knowledge or a product that needs clearer direction, tell me what is happening now and who it affects.
Useful context for a first conversation
- What people are trying to accomplish
- Where the current process or product breaks down
- Who carries the consequences
- What has already been tried
- Any fixed policy, time or technology constraints
You do not need a finished brief. A clear account of the present situation is a better place to begin.