Whether you're planning to order the development of a website from scratch or update an existing web resource, our cooperation begins with filling out a brief. It's important to note that a brief is not the same as terms of reference, as many people mistakenly think. A website development brief serves as an action plan and clear instructions from you to us, outlining your expectations, tasks, and requirements for the future project.
What is the purpose of a website development brief?
First of all, this document helps us to get acquainted and determine if we can collaborate effectively. The Digiants team excels in web development and we can use your brief to estimate the project costs, the terms of completion, and the number of specialists required for this task.
A website development brief will also assist you, as the customer, in clearly presenting your requirements to us. The brief allows our team to familiarize themselves with the project. This streamlines customer and contractor communication optimize processes and saves time.
Website development brief and technical assignment. What is the difference?
The brief for website development does not contain small details, in contrast to the technical assignment. The size, design, and position of the buttons, for example, will be described in the terms of reference. In the brief the client describes his wishes in general terms and the goals that he wants to achieve with the developed web product.
It may seem that the brief is not as important as the technical specification. It may seem that the brief is less important than the technical specification. However, the quality of its content significantly impacts the final outcome! The more detailed the client describes the requirements and envisions the final product, the easier it is for us to implement (and the fewer clarification questions we'll need to ask you).
The volume of a website development brief does not exceed five pages, while a technical assignment can take up to 30 pages.
How is a website development brief structured?
In general, each team tailors a commercial proposal for website development services, including or excluding certain questions and details according to their preferences. However, there are several common elements that form the foundation of any brief.
What to provide while filling in a brief:
- Development goal. The client describes the business tasks that the website must address.
- Business information. It's crucial to provide detailed information about your business, not just a link to the "About Us" section. Describe why your business stands out from competitors, highlight your most popular products/services, define your target audience, outline your short-term and long-term goals, etc. This information helps us understand your project and how we can help achieve your business goals.
- Details of the future website. Describe the desired functionality through the eyes of the customer.
- Visual component. If the client has ideas, references, or wishes for the design, it's important to write this information in the brief.
- Cost and time frame. The Digiants team will find a solution for almost any budget and time frame.
For those looking only to update an existing website rather than developing one from scratch, additional questions are included in the brief:
- When was the website developed?
- How many visitors does the website have, and from what devices?
- What would you like to fix or update?
- Which features or elements do you like for the website?
- What elements are we retaining from the old version, and what are we replacing with new elements?
In essence, a brief not only helps estimate the cost of website development but also facilitates clear communication between the customer and the contractor. The brief ensures smooth progress, on-time completion, and minimizes the need for clarification questions.
Benefits of sending us a brief:
- If there is no technical task, the brief will help evaluate the project as soon as possible
- We save you time on calls and communication if the price does not suit you.
- Filling out the brief helps you understand what exactly you need and structure the data even for yourself :)
Filling out a brief is particularly useful if you plan to order a website or online shop development service or an SEO service.
We look forward to reading your brief!
