A good page design starts before the first draft. The beginning of work without a common definition of purpose, audiences and scope increases the risk of costly changes. Brief does not need to be a multi-page document. However, it should order decisions: to whom the site is to help, what action is to facilitate, what information must be available, and then the team will recognise that implementation meets expectations. Such a basis protects the budget and allows to evaluate the project by function rather than individual taste.
Business objective and main recipient
First you have to call one of the main tasks of the website. It may be to obtain queries, to arrange consultations, to sell, to recruit or to relieve the burden of service by providing documents and answers. The purpose should be linked to a measurable event, such as a sent briefing or telephone from a specific subpage. The very phrase “modern image” is not enough to decide on architecture and content.
It is worth describing the recipients by the situations where they visit the site. What they already know, what they fear, what solutions they compare and who approve the purchase? B2B may need arguments for the user, manager and purchasing department, while the local service should quickly explain the area of operation, time and way of contact. Priority does not mean omitting other groups, but determining the order of information.
Scope of subpages, functions and materials
The site map should be based on the offer and questions of customers. Most often includes homepages, key services pages, realizations or examples, company information, knowledge base and contact. A separate subpage makes sense when responding to a separate need. Sharing one service into many almost identical addresses makes it difficult to navigate and create valuable content.
Parallel functions and data sources need to be written: forms, search engine, language versions, integrations, downloads, maps and analytics. With each item it is worth indicating the owner of the material and the deadline. No pictures, service descriptions or technical data often delay the project more than programming. A good list of materials from the beginning reveals a real work effort on the company side.
Budget, schedule and reception criteria
The budget should include analysis, design, implementation, content, tests, measurement configuration and work after publication. The cheapest offer may not include migration, redirection, accessibility or editorial training. Comparing performers, you need to combine the scope, responsibility, communication method and what happens after the page is launched.
The reception facilitates a list of verifiable conditions: proper operation on fixed devices, forms and messages, redirections, consents, efficiency, editing capabilities and a set of materials. The schedule should take into account time for decisions and amendments on the contracting side. Clear stages limit the risk that the project will wait for one answer for many weeks.
Brief company page in 7 points
- One main business goal and way of measuring.
- The most important user groups and their questions.
- A list of services, subpages and required functions.
- Materials, their owners and delivery dates.
- Required integrations, language versions and accessibility.
- Budget including start-up and maintenance.
- Criteria for reception and decision-makers.
Save also what the project does not include
Brief becomes more useful when it clearly separates the first implementation from ideas for later. If this version does not create a customer account, an additional language or integration with the magazine, it is worth pointing out. The absence of such a distinction can be read as leaving the contractor's decision.
Disablement does not close the path to development. It only shows what the current valuation and schedule is based on. A new range can later be assessed consciously.
Separate fact, supposition and question
The company may assume that customers are expecting a calculator, but do not have confirmation for this. Instead of saving the function as a certainty, it is worth pointing out the need and the way to check it. It may be helpful to talk with handling, examples of queries or simple process preview.
At each open point, write down the person responsible for the answer. The question without the owner easily remains unresolved until it blocks implementation.
- What do we know from actual conversations or data?
- What's the band's preference?
- What do you need to check with an external supplier?
- Which decision affects the cost and time limit?
Use the briefing to compare the proposals
When the contractor proposes a solution, go back to the problem and limitations described. Check whether the idea helps the recipient and if the company can later operate it. Thus, the document remains a working tool instead of going to the archive after signing the arrangements.
We write about writing further decisions in range control guideBrief does not need to anticipate everything. It should enable you to recognize the change, collect missing information and make a decision without losing the original target.
The most common questions
Is the briefing supposed to indicate technology?
Only if there is a reasonable restriction, for example integration or standard organization. In other cases it is better to describe the need and allow the contractor to choose a solution.
How many subpages does the company need?
There is no universal number. Each subpage should have a separate purpose and sufficient content. A small, transparent service is better than an extended structure of full repetitions.
Who should approve the project?
Best one person responsible for collecting opinions and decisions. The unlimited number of independent reviewers leads to contradictory changes and prolongs the schedule.
Summary
The company's plan combines the needs of users with a business goal, content scope, functions and way of receiving. Several well described decisions at the start limit the risk of misunderstandings and gives the team a common quality criterion.
