Why the brief matters so much

Most web projects that go over budget or over deadline have one thing in common: a vague brief. When a designer or developer has to guess at your goals, your audience, or your constraints, they make assumptions — and assumptions lead to revisions.

A well-written brief doesn't need to be long. It needs to be specific. A one-page document with clear answers to the right questions is worth more than a ten-page PDF full of vague aspirations.

The brief also protects you. It creates a shared understanding of what's in scope, what the budget covers, and what success looks like — before any work begins.

A quick note: You don't need to have all the answers before you speak to a designer. But having thought through these questions — even roughly — will make your first conversation far more productive and help you get a more accurate quote.

Section 1: Goals and purpose

Start with the most important question: what do you need this website to do? Not what it should look like — what business outcome it needs to achieve.

Section 01
Goals & purpose
  • What is the primary goal of the site? (Generate enquiries, sell products, build credibility, provide information?)
  • What does success look like in 6 months?
  • Do you have an existing site? What's wrong with it?
  • Are there any specific pages or features that are non-negotiable?
  • What action do you want visitors to take when they land on the homepage?

Section 2: Target audience

The more precisely you can describe your ideal visitor, the better the designer can make decisions on their behalf — about layout, language, calls to action, and even colour.

Section 02
Target audience
  • Who is your primary customer? Age range, profession, technical comfort?
  • Are they finding you on mobile or desktop? (Check your current analytics if you have them.)
  • What problem are they trying to solve when they find your site?
  • What objections might they have? What reassures them?
  • Who are your main competitors? What do you admire or dislike about their sites?

Section 3: Functionality and content

This is where scope gets defined. List the pages you need, the features required, and what content you're providing versus what needs creating.

Section 03
Functionality & content
  • How many pages does the site need? List them if possible.
  • Do you need a contact form, booking system, live chat, or e-commerce?
  • Will you have a blog? Who will write and manage it?
  • Will you be providing all text content, or do you need copywriting?
  • Do you have professional photography, or will stock images be needed?
  • Any integrations required? (CRM, newsletter, booking calendar, payment gateway?)

Section 4: Design and brand references

If you have a brand identity — logo, colours, fonts — share the files. If you don't, mention that too, as it affects scope. Either way, collect three to five sites you admire and note specifically what you like about each one.

Section 04
Design & brand
  • Do you have an existing brand identity? (Logo, colour palette, typography?)
  • List 3–5 websites you admire and what you like about each one.
  • Are there any design styles, colours, or approaches you actively dislike?
  • What feeling should the site convey? (Professional, approachable, premium, playful?)
  • Any competitor sites whose design you want to avoid looking similar to?

Section 5: Budget, timeline, and deliverables

Be honest about your budget. A designer who knows you have between £1,500 and £2,500 can give you a realistic proposal. One who doesn't know will either over-scope or under-deliver.

Timelines are usually driven by the client side — how quickly you can provide content, feedback, and approvals — not by the designer. Be realistic about your own availability.

Section 05
Budget, timeline & deliverables
  • What is your approximate budget? Even a range is helpful.
  • Is there a hard launch deadline? (Event, campaign, product launch?)
  • What do you need delivered? (Design files, live site, hosting setup, training?)
  • Who will maintain the site after launch? Do you need a CMS?
  • Are you expecting ongoing support, or a one-off build?

What happens if you skip the brief?

Without a brief, the project starts in a fog. The designer builds something based on assumptions. You see the first draft and realise it's heading in the wrong direction. Revisions mount up. The timeline slips. Costs increase.

None of this is the designer's fault — and none of it is yours either. It's simply what happens when two people start working without a shared understanding of where they're going.

The brief is that shared understanding, written down.

Ready to start?

If you've read what to know before ordering a website, you'll already have thought through budget and realistic expectations. The brief is the next step — putting it on paper so the conversation can begin properly.

Get in touch and we can go through these questions together. Sometimes a 20-minute call is all it takes to clarify everything needed for an accurate quote.