Agile Epic Brief Template for Confluence

Develop an understanding of the ‘why’ behind the work: the problem it solves, how, and who it's for.

Want to use our Agile Epic Brief Template? Simply install Mosaic for Confluence and choose it from the Confluence templates library.

Once you've installed Mosaic, follow these steps:

Create a new page or live doc in Confluence, then click All templates from the bottom menu.
Click on the templates search bar and type ‘Mosaic’.
Select the ‘Agile Epic Brief’ template to get started, or hover over it for a preview.

This Epic Brief Template is part of the Jon Kern Agile Framework: a set of ten templates filled with expert advice and guidance to help your team master agile work. To learn more about Jon Kern and the Agile Manifesto, and to see the rest of the templates in this framework, head to the Jon Kern Agile Framework Hub.

What is an epic brief?

An epic brief frames a large piece of work around the problem it solves, who it’s for, and the outcomes you want to achieve. It skips heavy, technical requirements in favour of a clear, shared understanding of why the work matters.

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Why does your team need an epic brief?

An epic brief makes the ‘why’ of a major initiative easy to grasp, so teams don’t just see a bundle of tickets, but a coherent problem and the value they are trying to create.

By capturing the core context upfront, it helps teams split the epic into smaller parts without losing sight of the bigger picture.

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When priorities shift, the brief makes it simpler to discuss scope cuts or changes in approach, because everyone can see how those trade‑offs affect the original intent of the epic.

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An epic brief makes the ‘why’ of a major initiative easy to grasp, so teams don’t just see a bundle of tickets, but a coherent problem and the value they are trying to create.

By capturing the core context upfront, it helps teams split the epic into smaller parts without losing sight of the bigger picture.

When priorities shift, the brief makes it simpler to discuss scope cuts or changes in approach, because everyone can see how those trade‑offs affect the original intent of the epic.

An epic brief makes the ‘why’ of a major initiative easy to grasp, so teams don’t just see a bundle of tickets, but a coherent problem and the value they are trying to create.

By capturing the core context upfront, it helps teams split the epic into smaller parts without losing sight of the bigger picture.

When priorities shift, the brief makes it simpler to discuss scope cuts or changes in approach, because everyone can see how those trade‑offs affect the original intent of the epic.

What elements should an epic brief include?

The ‘Why?’

By describing the problem and the use case that your epic aims to solve, you’re helping your team see the bigger picture, so they understand the point of the work, rather than being overwhelmed by tasks without a defined purpose.

Our template guides you through answering questions that lead to the ‘why?’ behind your proposed solution.

A screenshot of the Agile Epic Brief Template, showing a tip from Jon Kern and sections like 'Problem statement' and 'Proposed solution'

What should go right, and what could go wrong?

It’s important to keep track of the outcomes of your work. When planning your epic, decide how you will measure success and mitigate risks so your time and resources aren’t wasted.

A screenshot of the 'Measures of success' section of the Agile Epic Brief Template for Confluence

Link to your story map

The next step is to break down your epic into manageable parts (features). One of the best ways to do this is with a story map, which helps you carefully consider your product's user journey.

Use our Agile Story Map Template for Confluence to get started, and add the link to the Advanced Card at the bottom of your epic brief (or use a button if you prefer).

A screenshot of the 'Risk management' and 'Next step' sections of the Agile Epic Brief Template

Next in the Jon Kern Agile Framework

This Epic Brief Template is the third template of the Jon Kern Agile Framework. Click the button below to see the next template in this set, or head to the Jon Kern Agile Framework Hub to see them all.

See the Agile Story Map Template