This is a tip drawn from market research briefings but it applies just as much to any other kind. At a briefing meeting what is articulated is the Explicit brief. But there is always another one which researchers call the Impolicit brief. Its the one the client expects you to answer whether or not you know that its there. Your job at a briefing is to find out what the implicit brief is.

I had one earlier this year. The explicit brief was to research a new design for a magazine. The implicit brief was to find a relevant role for the magazine which was threatened with closure. Funnily enough the client didn't choose to share with me the one line brief: help me save my job. But that was the implicit brief. Research is conducted to kill products and ads, to get people promoted, to get them better regarded in the organisation, to use the budget this fiscal year so they don't get their budgets cut next year. And almost never in a briefing does anyone mention this. But its the real brief. And its your job to find it.

The sweet thing is that the client almost always lets it slip - because it is on their emotional agenda. So there are always tell tale signs. They just can't bring themselves to say it out loud. So ask questions. Good questions which make it possible for the client to tip you off about what the real deal is. And they can tell themselves they were just offering clarification.

 Here are some candidates: 

Has a study like this ever been done before?

Who most badly needs this information?

What will be done with the findings of the reseearch when it happens?

If this research didn't take place what is the worst thing that could happen?