How to Write a Project Brief for Your Website

Why Project Briefs Matter

A project brief is the foundation of a successful web project. It ensures:

• Everyone understands the goals
• Developers can accurately estimate
• Scope is clearly defined
• Fewer surprises during development
• Better outcomes

Poor briefs lead to missed expectations, budget overruns, and frustration on both sides.

Essential Elements

1. Company Background

Include:

• What your business does
• Your target audience
• Your value proposition
• Current website (if any) and its issues

Why it matters: Context helps developers make better decisions.

2. Project Goals

Define what success looks like:

• Increase leads by X%
• Reduce bounce rate
• Enable online sales
• Improve brand perception
• Support a product launch

Be specific. "Make our website better" isn't actionable.

3. Target Audience

Describe who will use the site:

• Demographics
• Technical savviness
• How they'll find your site
• What they're looking for
• Devices they use

4. Scope of Work

What's included:

• Number of pages
• Features needed
• Content (who provides it?)
• Design (new design or redesign?)
• Integrations required

What's NOT included:

• Ongoing maintenance
• Content creation (if not included)
• Photography
• Copywriting

Clear scope prevents scope creep.

5. Technical Requirements

Specify:

• Platform preferences (WordPress, custom, etc.)
• Hosting requirements
• Performance needs
• Security requirements
• Integrations (CRM, payment processors, etc.)
• Accessibility requirements

6. Design Direction

Provide:

• Brand guidelines
• Examples of sites you like
• Examples of sites you don't like
• Specific design requirements
• Logo and brand assets

7. Content

Clarify:

• Who's writing the copy?
• Who's providing images?
• What content needs to be migrated?
• Content management requirements

8. Timeline

Include:

• Project start date
• Key milestones
• Launch deadline
• Flexibility (hard deadline vs. preferred)

Be realistic. Rush timelines cost more.

9. Budget

Options:

• Share specific budget
• Share budget range
• Ask for estimates to fit your goals

Sharing budget helps developers propose appropriate solutions.

10. Success Metrics

How will you measure success?

• Traffic goals
• Conversion rates
• Lead generation
• Sales targets
• User engagement

Project Brief Template

Company Overview

• Company name:
• Website (if existing):
• Industry:
• Target audience:
• Main competitors:

Project Overview

• Type of project: [New website / Redesign / Feature addition]
• Primary goal:
• Secondary goals:

Scope

Pages needed:

• [ ] Home
• [ ] About
• [ ] Services/Products
• [ ] Contact
• [ ] Blog
• [ ] Other:

Features needed:

• [ ] Contact forms
• [ ] Search functionality
• [ ] E-commerce
• [ ] User accounts
• [ ] Blog/CMS
• [ ] Newsletter signup
• [ ] Social integration
• [ ] Other:

Technical Requirements

• Platform preference:
• Hosting requirements:
• Integrations needed:
• Performance requirements:
• Security requirements:

Design

• Brand guidelines: [Attached / To be provided / Create new]
• Websites you like:
• Websites you don't like:
• Design style preference:

Content

• Content provider: [Client / Agency / TBD]
• Current content to migrate: [Yes / No]
• Photography needs:

Timeline

• Desired start date:
• Desired launch date:
• Key dates/deadlines:

Budget

• Budget range:
• Budget flexibility:

Evaluation Criteria

• How will you select a vendor?
• Decision timeline:
• Key stakeholders:

Tips for Better Briefs

Be Specific

"We need a modern website" is vague.

"We need a 10-page website with booking functionality, targeting small business owners, launching by Q2" is actionable.

Share Examples

Show, don't just tell. Examples of what you like help more than descriptions.

Be Honest About Budget

Developers can propose appropriate solutions when they know constraints.

Include Stakeholders

Identify who needs to approve decisions. This prevents delays later.

Prioritize Requirements

Mark features as "must-have" vs. "nice-to-have." This helps if budget or timeline gets tight.

Ask Questions

If you're unsure about something, say so. Good developers will guide you.

What to Expect in Responses

Quality Proposals Should Include:

• Understanding of your goals
• Proposed approach
• Detailed scope
• Timeline with milestones
• Itemized pricing
• Relevant portfolio examples
• Team introduction
• Questions for clarification

Red Flags in Proposals:

• Generic responses (not customized to your brief)
• No questions asked
• Vague pricing
• Unrealistic timelines
• No relevant examples

Common Mistakes

1. Too Vague

Generic briefs get generic proposals. Be specific.

2. Unrealistic Timeline

Good work takes time. Rushed timelines increase cost and risk.

3. Hidden Requirements

Surprising developers with requirements mid-project causes problems. Include everything upfront.

4. No Budget Guidance

Without budget context, proposals may be way over or under what you need.

5. Too Many Stakeholders

Involve decision-makers early, but limit who has approval authority.

6. Scope Creep Seeds

Phrases like "and other features as needed" invite scope creep.

After Sending Your Brief

Review Proposals Carefully

Read beyond price. Understand approaches and trade-offs.

Ask Follow-Up Questions

Clarify anything unclear. Good vendors welcome questions.

Compare Apples to Apples

Ensure proposals cover the same scope before comparing prices.

Trust Your Gut

If communication is difficult during the proposal phase, it won't improve during the project.

A well-written brief is work upfront that saves significant time and money later.