For me, process is the key, there are no perfect numbers to rely upon. But, you can have a process that yields good brisket results consistently. Where you can create habits is in how you prepare your meat and cooker, when and how you cook, when you either wrap or temp a brisket and when and how you determine to pull if from the cooker. For me...
I always like to use a almost room temperature brisket.
My current process, which has proven very reliable for me, is to put the meat on when the cooker hits 225F, it will immediately drop to 215F or so. I let it ride, all vents open, until it hits around 250F, then I set my vents to where I always set them, this gives me a grate temperature around 280F to 300F. I don't rely on temperature for any of the rest of the cook.
After 2 hours, I check for color, if it's good, I wrap, if not, I check again in 1 hour, if it's good, I wrap. I use butcher paper, never foil. From here, I let it ride for at least 90 minutes. I will lift the entire package and feel it, squeeze it, if it's at all hard, then another 90 minutes. Repeat. Until when I squeeze it and it feels soft. When that happens, I probe for tender, I look for almost no resistance.
I realize you want a real Road map, with speed and time listed out, other than Hozman, I know of very few cooks who have had success using internal temperatures. All of the best brisket cooks I personally know use feel alone. Time and temperature are relative. My brisket cooks changed dramatically when I stopped temping the meat and learned to feel it. I also cook hotter than I used to, letting the pit run itself around 300F, thanks to Pitmaster T and Saiko for that knowledge.
