Write a great brief and launch a great website

[Deleted member 35011]

Thinking more about my thread (To my fellow web designers / developers and those who pay us) the other day and my recent return to taking part here after joining last year, I wrote the following for my site, and would be interested in your feedback.

Having posted it in, it's too long for a post here, so if the back-link to my site to read the rest offends, let me know (nicely please) and I'll be happy to remove it.

Spoiled for choice

When choosing someone to design and develop your website, you're literally spoiled for choice. So much so, that it can be difficult to make the selection at all. A quick post on a business forum saying, "I need a website..." yields the same responses over and over again. Queries are littered with responses like:

• "£295 all in. Send me an email."
• "Have you thought about search engine optimisation? You MUST be found in Google, don't you know."
• "A website costs as much as a car." That old chestnut, or its equivalent: "How long is a piece of string?" appear frequently.
• "You need ZoomCartWonderWebSuper - it's a free PHP script."
• "Do it yourself - it's really easy."

The prices you get back will vary from £50 to a few hundred and well into the thousands.

Prices vary enormously

The wide variation in pricing arises for a few reasons:

1. Web agencies have higher overheads than one-man-bands operating from home.
2. Some people have no idea what to charge so they over-quote to protect themselves from uncertainty. The whole fee is one big contingency charge.
3. Some people have no idea what work's really involved (especially on their first few projects) and they undercharge unwittingly (rest assured that quality will suffer when they starve as the project's true level of work becomes clear).
4. Your brief is totally useless.

Don't take it personally - you're not supposed to know anything about the web. Nevertheless, your lack of knowledge could kill your chances of launching a great website.

A good brief leads to a good website

Briefing a company well on your requirements will result in a much better estimate, a better solution to what you really want to achieve and it will weed out the time-wasters who're not capable of delivering at the level you expect. Good designers and developers will come running to a good brief like a dog to a bone and you'll get the attention of much, much better web teams.
This guide is intended to help you think through your requirements in a sensible, straightforward way. We don't need you to become a programmer or designer in the process, but you must put time into the project if you expect the professionals you're looking for to do the same. Quoting takes time and busy people are more selective about who gets their quotes.

Who you are, and who your customers are

"We're a six person bakery (independent family business) mostly supplying restaurants throughout Glasgow. We're not a retail bakery - we're not geared up to sell cakes to old ladies on the local high street."
Clarify what exactly you do and (sometimes just as important) what you don't do.

What you want most of all from your website

You might express any of the following:

• "We want to be on page one when customers search for 'Glasgow bakeries' and then turn those searchers into sales enquiries."
• "We want a convenient information point to send prospects to as part of the sales process." A brochure.
• "We want to look better than our competitors - more modern, more eco-friendly, more established." Vanity's fine, but do say if it's important.
• "We're spending hours taking repeat customer orders over the phone. Most of them have computers, so we want them to order online."

The Gory Details

Who you are and what you most want from your website - those are the fundamentals. However, clients have approached us in the past with nothing more than those two points and left very happy. Effective web teams will take your desired outcome and help you work towards a detailed solution that'll achieve it.
If you're like most people though, you'll have opinions on other things too. If you have, then it's important to say so clearly. The devil's in the detail.

Domains

• What web address(es) will be used?
• Have they been registered already?
• Do you already have a website which this will replace?
• Will links be maintained between the old site and corresponding pages on the new site (redirection)?

Design

• Do you have an existing brand identity, logo, stationery, or similar?
• What's the first impression you want to create when someone new arrives on your site?
• Are there any other websites which are similar in "feel" to how you want to be perceived?
• Do you have any stock photography, commissioned photography or anything of that nature which should be incorporated?
• What web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) and platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux) should your site be tested on?

Content

• Who will write the site's content? Are you considering professionally-written copy?
• What content needs to be included? A list will do the trick - no need to structure it at this stage.
• What data needs to be published for each news story, product description, event, or whatever on the site? E-commerce sites selling car parts will have very different search criteria than with sites selling CDs or dresses. An off-the-shelf system may not be appropriate in these cases.
• What photography or other material (video, audio) needs to be included? Who is producing this?

Content Updates

• How often will things be updated? By whom - just you, maybe the web developer, or others also?
• Do you need any kind of approval process or other work flow leading up to content publication?

Software Requirements

• Do you have a particular affinity for a certain e-commerce package or content management system for some reason (e.g. you're trained to use it)?
• Do you need to stick to Linux or Windows for some reason (internal IT specification) or does this not matter?

Marketing

• How do you plan to market the website? Search engine optimisation (SEO)? Email marketing? Pay per click like Google Adwords? Offline advertising? Leaflet drops?
• Do you know what search terms on Google are the most popular for your products and services? Do you want to know?
• Have you considered how you'll measure visitor numbers, where visitors come from and their activity on the site?
• Will you want the site verified with Google Webmaster Tools to see if they're finding any errors accessing it and listing it?
• Do you need to track anything else (like discount codes, response codes, shopping cart drop-out rates, etc.)?

Security and Data

• What level of sensitive data will be stored (personal addresses, financial data, something more sensitive)?
• Do you have a security policy, a data protection policy, or anything else that needs to be adhered to?
• Is there any data to be migrated from the old site to the new one (email list, customer data, product database, etc.)?
• Do you need formal documentation for any web software produced?

Hosting and Email

• Do you have a preferred web hosting company (because of loyalty, past service, contractual tie-ins)?
• Is your current package a dedicated server, virtual server, shared hosting package, or something else?
• Do you need any email configuration as part of the website deal?
• Do you want someone else to answer these questions, letting you get on with what you do?

Legal Compliance

• Do you want to include everything that's legally required on your website? Let's hope so, but don't assume every web company will do it by default.
• Are you checking that your site will be reasonably accessible to disabled users? In some sites, accessibility is a greater priority than on others, but you must take reasonable steps to ensure everyone gets a fair go at accessing your words of wisdom.

E-Commerce Sites

• Where will you deliver to?
• Will you have one price for everyone or separate trade prices?
• What will your delivery pricing look like?
• What kind of specials will you need to be able to set up without technical assistance (BOGOF, percentage discount, category discount, buy this and that for £X)?
• What currencies will you support?
• Do you have a merchant account of payment gateway already in place? Do you need advice on this?

There are many other questions worth thinking about, but anyone coming to a web developer with some of these answered will be taken much more seriously and get a far more realistic quote.

Building a short-list

Forums and email are great for brief communication, but as soon as practically possible, you should speak to some web people and see on a basic level whether or not you like them. Do this before getting quotes and get a feel for who understands what you want to do. There's no point spending time discussing details with a company you've no intention of working with, so build a short-list and send your brief out only to those companies who have a shot.

Read the rest...

 

[Interconnect IT]

Very good, and very useful... and I can guarantee that 70% of clients won't read it all :-(

I've noticed several things about the businesses that are easiest to work with:

1. They would be successful without us - ie. they know how to run a business. They can be demanding, but you always end up producing great results with them.
2. They're already successful and come to us because of our skills. In retail terms I guess they're considered expert shoppers - they know what they want, they know how much it should cost.
3. They have past experience with websites and/or marketing.
4. Their expectations are realistic. A lot of people expect to rank number one for a whole range of Google search terms without actually doing anything to earn that ranking. Sorry, but we don't do black hat, so if you want to be top, you have to work at it or you pay us to do that work for you.
5. They're honest. Nothing worse than a client who expects you to lie for them. Had an escort agency acting like this (the models in the pictures they were waving around weren't escorts - in fact, the pictures were simply lifted from modelling sites) and it quickly became clear that we wouldn't have a decent working relationship.
6. They're there for meetings. I've had several cases where I've driven (sometimes an hour) to a meeting and the potential client has nipped out and won't be back for ages.
7. They understand what the web is about and that it isn't the route to easy riches that many think it is.

Ultimately, I started to wonder - are we there to educate the dumber clients? After a while it can be quite depressing to see a client completely fail to promote their website and then to blame you when it doesn't bring in extra business.

We're soon going to relaunch our website to more carefully target our clients. We don't want to be big, we want to be important in our sector. To be the 'go-to' people for those who need news driven websites. We're avoiding everything else now and we need to spell that out on our site. We also need to make sure that people who can't afford us won't trouble us with their enquiries - we need to manage expectations, basically....

 

[TotallySport]

I like it when web desing pros ask clients what they want, then expect a client to hand over a professional document with a 100% of the information, all layout out in a perfect format, so they can have an easy life. Only for all the web pro's to agree that clients are a pain.

The fact is most people don't have the experience to have all the information, in the same way, you might use an accountant becuase you don't know the technical detail.

Then the designers turns round and asks for a spec, and expects the none professional who has never written a spec or brief before to go away and write one. This is a bit like the piece of string analagy, have you tried writting one that makes sense when you have no understand of what is expected, i mean do you want:

Wire frames
Page structure
Flow mapping
Mind Maps
Functionality written
Do you want diagrams
Datebase information
Form elements
input lists,
Output lists
Main functionality
Secondary functionality
Hows does the front end work
How does the back office work
and how do the back and front work together
which sections are automated, and how

Then how do you want it layed out, do you want main whaffle at the stop links to specific functionality, do you want it like a business plan.

Alot of this will depend on the target market, but most people on here don't have basic know how, but the bit that annoys me, if when you ask a designer / devloper for a draft copy, or example to follow none of them have it. the information, is basic list like the one above, which simply just drags on.

If web designers had an empty copy of a draft, maybe in different standards for different clients, they would get the information they want, how they wanted and everyone would be happy.

IMO the web developers are good are the ones that don't have that information, and get the information and make the customer happy, and thats the best way to get loyalty and reputaion. Look at it from the customers point of view and not the developers.

 

[wood1e2]

I presume you mean they ask the client for that information? Which surely all designers/sub-contractors/accountants/solicitors do....otherwise no-one would know what the client wanted?

 

[Deleted member 35011]

TotallySport, none of those items you list appear in my list. My questions are deliberately very basic. Non-technical.

I don't expect people to learn to be web developers but I do need some requirements to be in place before I'll spend what can be a few hours or up to a few days costing a project. Even high level business objectives are a much better starting point (possibly the best starting point) than anything technical. Wireframes are a long way down the road, for example.

 

[Interconnect IT]

@TotallySport... While I appreciate what you say, from the designer/developer's perspective there's a steady stream of clients with big ideas that almost inevitably need fleshing out. Sadly they expect a quote, very early on.

I keep saying, again and again, that we can't give quote's without knowing exactly what the work will entail and that they need to spend money on the pre-planning. Those that spend that money, get a great website.

Now, the cost of pre-planning depends very much on the nature of the project. Sometimes you need to spend days with the client, sometimes just a few hours. But those hours cost, and if the client can't afford you then you can't risk giving that free time away.

The client may see this phase as simply a selling process, but it isn't - the work has already started.

 

[TotallySport]

TotallySport, none of those items you list appear in my list. My questions are deliberately very basic. Non-technical.

I don't expect people to learn to be web developers but I do need some requirements to be in place before I'll spend what can be a few hours or up to a few days costing a project. Even high level business objectives are a much better starting point (possibly the best starting point) than anything technical. Wireframes are a long way down the road, for example.

Hi

My post wasn't aimed at your post directly but there are a few threads started on the same lines, all make from the developes point of view and not the customers.

Hey, even I know that the developers need information and the more information they have the better, but have you every tried writting all the information down?

In my opinion there are three types of people looking for web sites and this general area:

People who want to get online and don't know very much except they want a web site, don't know anything about how it will work or look, they just know they want a web site.

People who know exactly what they want and how they want it to work and potentially look.

And the people in the middle that know a not very much about the working but know they want it to do x y and z and this way.

These people may or may not have experience in programing or development in some way, or have messed about with open source solutions.

I am sorry, but I don't think my list is down the line at all, again it all boils down to the customer, if they have a web site and they now want a new one and they want the navigation and product information to do and look like xyz and how are they supposed to give you that information if they don't wire frame it? or is it the case in many situation, the customer says I want the navigation to do xyz and the devoloper says not a problem thats such and such amount, only to find out there interpratation is miles off what the customer wanted.

If the customer falls into the first type then maybe my list is not relavent but in that case I would either expect the customer to be happy with what every the developers put infront of them or a pain as they have different expectations.

Your post and the other IMO doesn't talk about sitting down to consult with a business if they need or want a web site, and to find out their goals and objectives, if that was the case then all the information in the post:

A good brief leads to a good website
Domains
Design

and many otherare not relavent, you don't need to talk domains and design if all you want to know is what they want to achieve. If that were the case sure after the consultancy it would then be down to the developer to recomment how to achieve not ask for designs etc.

My point isn't you don't need the information (as a developer), its the information you need is in someones head, it's not always simple, and IMO hard to put together on paper, if you want to make your life easier put together a document or series of documents which all the client to fill in the information you want / need, give examples of how it needs to look and work and make life easiers for yourself.

It's all very well saying you need this, that and the other but putting the information you need down on paper for a web site isn't easy, especially when it gets complex, provide the client examples, sheets to fill in, or better still a basic program to fill in like business plan style stuff.

The more the developer does to make it clear for the client the easier it is long term.

 

[TotallySport]

I presume you mean they ask the client for that information? Which surely all designers/sub-contractors/accountants/solicitors do....otherwise no-one would know what the client wanted?

If you go to an accountant or laywer they can provide an example of the information they need and how they want it layed out, and it's very quick and easy, but you don't see any accounts saying on the forum, we need this that and the other information from our clients, and thats my point.

 

[wood1e2]

Sorry but I think you will find that unless a solicitor asks for the details or an accountant asks for the details...not in any way,without the details...they can't do anything...what do they make up the list of invoices to get the turnover? Or do they imagine the business owner already knows that bank interest is included?

The client will not know how to deliver...but that is not important..but without the information the delivery cannot happen...

Or do you think a lawyer makes up the defence...ooppss that may not be far from the truth.

It doesn't matter what level your three different web clients are at...they must have an idea of what they want to achieve...even if they haven't a clue as to how.

Either from simialr websites, or amalgm of websites if it is a complete(ish) new idea...to general ideas of, colours/layouts/user experience from websites they can't stand!!!

And yes from that, a designer is to flesh out and give a quote...now from that the designer can say 'have you (the client) thought about having this that and the other?

But when a client with the flesh initial solution turns around and says I am not willing to pay more than £25!! Ebay is not going to get a new competitor just yet!!

So information is the key, from the client initially then from the designer...solution provider.

 

[TotallySport]

@TotallySport... While I appreciate what you say, from the designer/developer's perspective there's a steady stream of clients with big ideas that almost inevitably need fleshing out. Sadly they expect a quote, very early on.

I keep saying, again and again, that we can't give quote's without knowing exactly what the work will entail and that they need to spend money on the pre-planning. Those that spend that money, get a great website.

Now, the cost of pre-planning depends very much on the nature of the project. Sometimes you need to spend days with the client, sometimes just a few hours. But those hours cost, and if the client can't afford you then you can't risk giving that free time away.

The client may see this phase as simply a selling process, but it isn't - the work has already started.

All developers say we need more information to provide a qoute, and thats fine, but then what do they do? Say we need a brief, from a laymans point of view I don't know what a brief looks like, i don't know how to write it, I don't know how to lay it out, and I don't 100% know all the bits and pieces I want at the time any way.

I have asked lots of web companies, for example information, how it should be layout etc, and none of them help, all I want is a downloadable .doc file, or form to fill in, for more advanced stuff provide examples, but nothing, so when I write the information down, it's all scattered, layout is bad, theres alot of waffle and confusion, duplication and I am not confident in it.

That way you can say, look based on the rough information the price might be between x and y, but if you fill in this form which such take no more that 2 hours (or so), we can give you a more accurate quote, and make arrangements for someone to discuss it with you later.

 

[wood1e2]

I presume desingers write up the brief/scope to give with the quote....well we do...

Although saying that the brief can throw up more ideas etc...so that has to be mondified along with the price.

But you can't give anything other than a ballpark figure without more information/discussion between all the parties.

 

[wood1e2]

I have asked lots of web companies, for example information, how it should be layout etc, and none of them help, all I want is a downloadable .doc file, or form to fill in, for more advanced stuff provide examples, but nothing, so when I write the information down, it's all scattered, layout is bad, theres alot of waffle and confusion, duplication and I am not confident in it.

So presumably your complaint is against the designers you have employed....that is to say they have not given you any layout ideas?

As no-one in their right mind is going to give you layouts prior to employment!!! They should point out similar layout ideals etc to get a feel of what you are looking for.

 

[TotallySport]

Sorry but I think you will find that unless a solicitor asks for the details or an accountant asks for the details...not in any way,without the details...they can't do anything...what do they make up the list of invoices to get the turnover? Or do they imagine the business owner already knows that bank interest is included?

As i have just said, if and account or solicitor asks for information, they normally have a good idea of what they want and need, and if needed can provide examples to make the information easier to obtain.

The client will not know how to deliver...but that is not important..but without the information the delivery cannot happen...

I have no idea what this refers to.

Or do you think a lawyer makes up the defence...ooppss that may not be far from the truth.

Different situation, in this case the client is already paying, not getting work. If you go to an accountant do you your books, they ask for you invoices, statements, etc and you hand the information over, if you want to do the book keeping they provide examples and show you what to do, very straight forward and simple, it's not that straight forward in asking for a web site.

It doesn't matter what level your three different web clients are at...they must have an idea of what they want to achieve...even if they haven't a clue as to how.

Interesting, thats goes agian AaronPollock second post. I agree they all have an idea but what they can or want to provide will be different, and what they expect will be different, and I would have though what they are willing to pay is different, therefore providing examples of detailed spec will be pointless to someone that is in the first type of client, my point being provide different levels on information for different levels of clients.

Either from simialr websites, or amalgm of websites if it is a complete(ish) new idea...to general ideas of, colours/layouts/user experience from websites they can't stand!!!

And yes from that, a designer is to flesh out and give a quote...now from that the designer can say 'have you (the client) thought about having this that and the other?

But when a client with the flesh initial solution turns around and says I am not willing to pay more than £25!! Ebay is not going to get a new competitor just yet!!

So information is the key, from the client initially then from the designer...solution provider.

I agree information is good but provide them a clear way of giving you the information, not just a list which a client will/may turn out waffle, give them the tools to give you accurate a clear information. Then you can stop wasting time with people not wanting to pay the going rate.

 

[Interconnect IT]

We do actually send potential clients a sample of a proposal so they can see what should be mentioned.

We're thinking of creating an actual questionnaire.

The only problem is that sometimes this terrifies the client - they see lots of complex things to think about and suddenly it all seems difficult, expensive and scary.

It's very hard to gauge things just right, to be honest. Websites range from simple brochure sites that can be popped out in a day, to complex and sophisticated news sites. There's no solution that fits all requirements. I think one of the best ways for a client to work is to find a web company that specialises in the sector the client is interested in.

I know a web development company that does Zencart and only Zencart. They seem to be doing just great. If you approach them to do an eCommerce site they will build you a Zencart site. No choices, and they don't feel it's up to them to do the client's gap analysis. If the features aren't there that the client needs, then that's the client's problem.

I guess the biggest thing we all need to learn in this industry is to just say no, and to advertise clearly what we can and can't do. But it's a young industry and many people don't really know how the market will turn. For example, we never thought we'd become WordPress experts specialising in news websites, but that appears to be the direction we're heading in.

 

[TotallySport]

I presume desingers write up the brief/scope to give with the quote....well we do...

Although saying that the brief can throw up more ideas etc...so that has to be mondified along with the price.

But you can't give anything other than a ballpark figure without more information/discussion between all the parties.

No i found sales people come and talk about price and semi write a brief that follows their ideals and thoughts. Which suits people at the first level of clients but not the later.

 

[TotallySport]

So presumably your complaint is against the designers you have employed....that is to say they have not given you any layout ideas?

As no-one in their right mind is going to give you layouts prior to employment!!! They should point out similar layout ideals etc to get a feel of what you are looking for.

Not at all, I don't have a complaint but it just interests me that developers don't seem to want to talk and listern to clients, they want the information on a plate then, take their ideas and easy solutions to try and full fill clients needs.

That wasn't a dig at anyone nor are my other posts, it's just my point of view and i think it is good to get the cleints point of view, and not just the developers.

And I am not talking necessaryly layout, I am saying if I the customer has done a bit of research and I want something to be layout out like x and work like why, that should be written properly and explained the the developer, and examples of this can help.

 

[TotallySport]

We do actually send potential clients a sample of a proposal so they can see what should be mentioned.

We're thinking of creating an actual questionnaire.

The only problem is that sometimes this terrifies the client - they see lots of complex things to think about and suddenly it all seems difficult, expensive and scary.

It's very hard to gauge things just right, to be honest. Websites range from simple brochure sites that can be popped out in a day, to complex and sophisticated news sites. There's no solution that fits all requirements. I think one of the best ways for a client to work is to find a web company that specialises in the sector the client is interested in.

I know a web development company that does Zencart and only Zencart. They seem to be doing just great. If you approach them to do an eCommerce site they will build you a Zencart site. No choices, and they don't feel it's up to them to do the client's gap analysis. If the features aren't there that the client needs, then that's the client's problem.

I guess the biggest thing we all need to learn in this industry is to just say no, and to advertise clearly what we can and can't do. But it's a young industry and many people don't really know how the market will turn. For example, we never thought we'd become WordPress experts specialising in news websites, but that appears to be the direction we're heading in.

I often wonder by web companies don't have different web sites offering different services which will effectively attract different clients, that way they can market the people extact what they want, and save time and money.

I agree it's not easy from either side, but I just think with all the developement developers do, they would come up with a better way to get information from specific clients without another static list, find out what level people are, provide them with some information to allow them to help themselves, if you think they want basic info, give them the basic info, if they say I need to add mre info, send them intermidiate info, it all could be setup and it's a quick email, web page etc, and will save the developer and clients hours.

Or have a part one document to find out what they achieve and what they know then part two would be a more web site specific document based on their level of experience.

I mean you could even creat these on the fly to match customers experience / needs.

 

[wood1e2]

Complaint was the wrong word...

examples yes, designing a layout no. And yes I think one does taylor quote/briefs to make sure that all forms of clients do understand...or even if they don't understand the 'how' they understand it will work.

How's the re-design on your website going by the way?

 

[Deleted member 35011]

My absolute ideal is to have someone on the phone. It makes for a much more ready exchange of ideas, ballparks, feedback, and so on. This is how I've worked for the past two years - never wanting a written brief from a client. I write the brief into the proposal. They say yay or nay and we revise as appopriate.

However, on forums like this, people write a five line request, no phone number given, and expect a costing almost immediately.

It seems to me there are two ways to approach a web design company:

1. Call a few and talk to them. Avoid writing anything down until the brief is nearly totally clear in your head, then have the design co present a proposal, itemising work to be done and why.

2. Write a list of what you want, down to the detail. Send it to a few companies and get quotes back. No company will help you write a brief without being paid unless you're very likely to engage them - it's hours of work per enquiry. As a response to this problem, I've written this post. It explains what I'd want to know in a brief. In fact, it's a direct response to the problem (a very real one) that you raise TotallySport.

Sending a long questionnaire to clients puts a lot of people off who're in the "just talk to me" brigade. I like such people a great deal - they make it clear very early whether or not things are likely to go anywhere before I or they commit hours to writing something down.

I think we're all loosely in agreement And this article was written to try to solve the problem - a list of what needs to go into a written brief. If you want to call and make it simpler, I'm up for that - other developers will be too.

 

[TotallySport]

Firstly design, I wouldn't expect the customer to talk design at stage one, but they might hav fixed ideas they like on layout, (navigation at the top and left and all that) which is what I ment by wireframing.

I also also think design can be pants coming from the developer, sthat could bea seperate issue but again at the first level I doubt the client will know and will probably be happy with whatever is put infront of them.

Our web site is coming on, it took ages to get the spec sorted as I found it hard writting it, as I knew exactly what i wanted and how it would work, we also wanted the database to be very flexible and last beyond the site.

We couldn't afford UK prices (and didn't trust alot of them) and have outsourced it to india, and hopefully will be ready in june, we have subbed the design out to a seperate company, and draft one was promising and cannot wait for draft two, most of the equipment is ready inplace, as it will effectively run the business (we hope), incidently both are UK business forum members.

Thanks for asking, i just hoped I haven't jinked it now lol.

 

[Trainer Bubble]

To summarise...

• Clear briefs are good
• If you want a good website you'll need a good brief
• Designers should provide something to customers and offer a choice of filling it in together or in a separate document
• There's a really good example of this in the first post
• Customers should be clear in their needs and wants
• Designers should challenge these needs and wants
• Designers should 'hold the customers hand' where necessary
• No designer should be able to provide a price without a brief
• Until customers are clear on what they want they should not expect a price
• Technology can be scary to new customers
• Part of a designers job is to make technology less scary

Anything I missed?

 

[TotallySport]

My absolute ideal is to have someone on the phone. It makes for a much more ready exchange of ideas, ballparks, feedback, and so on. This is how I've worked for the past two years - never wanting a written brief from a client. I write the brief into the proposal. They say yay or nay and we revise as appopriate.

However, on forums like this, people write a five line request, no phone number given, and expect a costing almost immediately.

It seems to me there are two ways to approach a web design company:

1. Call a few and talk to them. Avoid writing anything down until the brief is nearly totally clear in your head, then have the design co present a proposal, itemising work to be done and why.

2. Write a list of what you want, down to the detail. Send it to a few companies and get quotes back. No company will help you write a brief without being paid unless you're very likely to engage them - it's hours of work per enquiry. As a response to this problem, I've written this post. It explains what I'd want to know in a brief. In fact, it's a direct response to the problem (a very real one) that you raise TotallySport.

Sending a long questionnaire to clients puts a lot of people off who're in the "just talk to me" brigade. I like such people a great deal - they make it clear very early whether or not things are likely to go anywhere before I or they commit hours to writing something down.

I think we're all loosely in agreement And this article was written to try to solve the problem - a list of what needs to go into a written brief. If you want to call and make it simpler, I'm up for that - other developers will be too.

My point isn't your post isn't valid my point is it's not as easy to get all that information to you in a phone call, and writting it down is very hard for the layman, provide extra info, samples etc to various levels covers everyone.

Sorry from experience, i wouldn't pay money for anything like a web site, without a written document signed by both parties, that way either one can complain.

I agree most of the request on here are vague to say the least, but the quotes are just as bad. It's good to see who offers and who doesn't though.

 

[TotallySport]

To summarise...

• Clear briefs are good
• If you want a good website you'll need a good brief
• Designers should provide something to customers and offer a choice of filling it in together or in a separate document
• There's a really good example of this in the first post
• Customers should be clear in their needs and wants
• Designers should challenge these needs and wants
• Designers should 'hold the customers hand' where necessary
• No designer should be able to provide a price without a brief
• Until customers are clear on what they want they should not expect a price
• Technology can be scary to new customers
• Part of a designers job is to make technology less scary

Anything I missed?

Customer shouldn't expect an amazon web site for £25
Technology can be embaised by the right customers
Developers should push their own ideals on to the customers
Developers should guide to good poilcy and functionality
SEO in developing shouldn't be a extra charge

 

[TotallySport]

Now I have to get back to work.

 

[Deleted member 35011]

Sorry from experience, i wouldn't pay money for anything like a web site, without a written document signed by both parties, that way either one can complain.

No, not what I meant. Whatever the route leading up to it (phone or written), there'd be a written spec at the end, written by one party or another (in most cases, the designer/developer).

Now I have to get back to work.

Indeed

 

[TotallySport]

Thanking me for getting back to work thats hurts!

 

[wood1e2]

Good luck with going to India...hopefully everything will be Kool and the gang come June.

 

[TotallySport]

Thanks, will let you know if it works and crashes and burns:|