Website Design / Web Development Brief
Friday, September 25th, 2009
posted by Cathy at 1:56 pm
If you are considering creating a new website or simply re-developing an existing site, then this document should be useful.
It is a questionnaire which enables you to consider all the key issues when documenting your requirements. If you discuss this with your team and document the answers to each question, you will be well on the way to developing a full website brief which Inspiration can use to give you indicative pricing and to add value to your requirements.
For sites which require software development, a technical specification will be the next step in the process – to clarify all your needs at the outset.
Contact cathy@inspiration.ie for further information.
Website Design Brief
Background to Business
1. What is the main activities of the company / organization ?
Overall Site Objectives
1. What are the objectives for the new sites(s)? (e.g. increase revenue , raise awareness levels, increase customer service, as a sales tool)
2. What segments comprise the target audience?18 – 20 year olds etc
3. Where are customers geographically located ? In Ireland or Overseas?
Site Content
1. What level of content do you want to include? E.g. content rich deep site, basic brochure information.
2. How many pages do you think will be on the site? If possible outline / list the main site navigation tabs.
3. Do you envisage having hot spots (specific areas) on the site template for new promotions / affiliate offers / new products / sponsors etc?
4. Will all site content be supplied or will some need to copy written by Inspiration? Describe.
5. What content is currently available and what new content will need to be developed? Describe.
6. Will the site require ongoing site content management by Inspiration or will this be done in-house? If so how much ongoing maintenance do you envisage and how often will the site need to be updated? What do you think you require from a CMS system?
7. If site is to be maintained in-house do you require an online content management system with multiple levels of access or will a basic desktop based system meet your requirements?
8. What imagery do you want on the site? Will imagery be provided or will professional photography / stock images need to be purchased.
Site Hosting
1. Will you require Inspiration to host the new site or have you an existing service provider or an appropriate in –house solution?
Site Functionality
1. In addition to the brochure ware side and current functionality of the site what additional functionality will you require on the new site? Examples include
a. Searchable databases
b. Benchmarking tools
c. Discussion Forums
d. Online secure customer reporting
e. Online Customer Surveys
f. Website page software tracking
g. Streaming video
h. Comprehensive blogging facilities
2. On the navigation structure of the site do you prefer the drop down menu approach? Have you seen any navigation structures on other industry sites you particularly like?
Site Look and Feel
1. What words would you use to describe the “look and feel” required for the new site (e.g. Corporate? Contemporary? Highly Technical? Innovative?). – Think about the image of the company you want to portray through your corporate branding.
2. What corporate branding, colors do you want for the new site? In what file format are these available?
3. What other sites in the same sector do you like? What do you like about them?
4. What other sites in other sectors have you come across that you like? What do you like about these sites? (E.g. clean and uncluttered, the imagery, the site navigation system).
5. Have you seen a navigation system on other sites which you feel might be appropriate to adapt for your sites?
Site Marketing
1. What are the “key words” (list 6-8) which your target audience is likely to use to find the site online through one of the search engines? (Required for site optimization).
2. Do you require Inspiration to market the new site once it is live? What level of marketing is required?
3. Do you require full site traffic measurement reporting on the new site or will basic web logs suffice? Traffic measurement will detail key words used, source of traffic, page rankings etc.
4. Will you require a regular marketing newsletter to drive your existing and prospective customers to the new site? What features / content sections will be included on this newsletter? How often will it be broadcast?
5. Do you require a search engine optimization programme to optimize the visibility of the sites online ? The main elements of this SEO programme are natural search work / Paid (PPC) advertising / a link building programme?
Budget / Timeline
1. What budgets are available to develop the initial sites ? What budget is available to market the sites (email marketing / SEO / offline advertising etc) after go live?
2. When do you want the new sites to go live?
Contact cathy@inspiration.ie for further information or click here to view our website development services in Ireland and abroad. Thanks!
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