What to include in a website project brief
A useful brief helps a developer understand your business before discussing layouts or features. You do not need a technical specification to begin. Start with the people who will use the website, the task it should help them complete, and the information you already have.
1. Describe the business and audience
Explain what your business does and who the site is for. A service business may need visitors to understand an offer and send an inquiry. An online store needs people to find products and understand the buying process. A customer portal may focus on existing users completing a specific task.
2. Choose one main goal
Write a sentence that begins “Visitors should be able to…” and complete it with an action. For example: “Visitors should be able to compare our services and request a quote.” This is more useful than listing design trends because it gives every page a clear purpose.
3. Identify the right project type
A business website introduces your company and services. A landing page focuses on one offer. An ecommerce website organizes products and a shopping journey. A web application supports interactive tasks, records, or dashboards. A Telegram bot handles an agreed conversation or workflow. If you are unsure, describe the task rather than choosing a technical label.
Explore business website design, ecommerce development, or custom web applications to compare the starting points.
4. List pages and essential features
Separate what must be ready at launch from ideas that can wait. For a service site, your starting list might be a homepage, service pages, project examples, and a contact form. For a store, describe the product categories, product options, filters, cart, checkout requirements, and how orders should be handled. A developer can then help turn the list into a scope.
5. Prepare content and references
Gather your logo, service descriptions, product information, and images you have permission to use. Include two or three websites you like and explain the specific parts that are relevant: navigation, page structure, product browsing, or typography. References help communicate a direction; your site should still reflect your own business and content.
6. Explain integrations and existing tools
Name the services the website must connect to and describe the action you expect. For example, an inquiry might need to become a record in another system or trigger a Telegram notification. Share documentation links where available. Read about API integration services and Telegram bot development if your workflow depends on those connections.
7. Share constraints and decide what launch means
State your preferred timeline, a budget range if you have one, and anything that must remain compatible with an existing system. Ask what is included in the quote: design, content entry, development, hosting setup, handover, and support. Before launch, agree how the pages, forms, mobile experience, and required functions will be checked.
A simple website brief you can reuse
Business and audience: Main goal for visitors: Project type: Pages or workflows: Essential features: Content already available: Required integrations: Preferred timeline and budget: Design references and what I like: Questions for the developer:
Use the planner above to create a starting outline. You can download it, add more detail, or bring it into a discussion with Justin. For visual examples, explore the website and application portfolio.