The most expensive words in website development sound like this: “Can we also add this?”. They appear in the third week, when the design is already approved and a new idea seems minor. Almost always it would have been free if it had been said on the first day. That is exactly what a brief is for.
In short: a brief is written answers to 10 questions: why you need a site, who it is for, what it should contain, what already exists and what is missing, and the deadline and budget. Based on such a brief the developer gives an exact price and does not guess “from context”. It takes 15–30 minutes to fill in, while a mistake in it costs weeks of rework.
How a brief differs from “make it look nice”
A brief is not a 40-page technical specification. It is a conversation on paper: you describe the task in plain language, and the developer turns it into an estimate and a plan. The difference between a weak and a strong brief lies in specifics:
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| We need a website for the company | We need a dental clinic website so patients can book online: currently 8 out of 10 appointments come by phone, and the administrator cannot keep up |
| To look modern | We like sites X and Y: lots of space, large photos, short texts. We do not like Z: too dark and heavy |
| The budget is small | Up to 15,000 UAH, launch by the end of November, we can add sections later |
| We will somehow write the texts | The texts about services are ready, team photos will be done by the 5th, we are collecting reviews |
10-point checklist: what to prepare
It is not a problem if you do not have answers to some questions yet. “I don’t know” is also an answer, and one you can work with. It is worse when an item is skipped silently.
- The goal of the site. What should happen when a person arrives? Leave a request, buy, book, call, simply believe you are real? Choose one main action.
- Who it is for. Who your client is, what problem brings them, and what they have already tried? The more precise the portrait, the less “for everyone” in the text and design.
- What makes you better. Three facts that can be verified: experience, timelines, guarantee, price, a unique technology. Without words like “high quality” and “professional”.
- Examples. Two or three sites you like and what exactly you like about them. One or two you definitely do not like. This saves a week and a half of clarifications.
- Structure. Which pages are needed: home, services, about, case studies, blog, contacts? If you do not know, outline the blocks and we will help you draw up the site map.
- Content. What already exists: texts, photos, videos, reviews, price list? What is missing? Missing content is most often what delays the launch, not development.
- Brand identity. Logo, colours, fonts, guidelines. If there is nothing, say so directly: the style can be created together with the design.
- Features. Request forms, online payments, several languages, calculator, catalogue filters, CRM integration, product import. Each feature has a price, so it is better to know about them in advance.
- Technical. Do you have a domain and hosting, does a current site exist, who has access? When rebuilding an old site, it is important to know what should be kept.
- Deadlines, budget and the decision-maker. The deadline and its reason (promotion, exhibition, season), the budget range and the person who gives final approval. Three “bosses” in one project is a straight road to endless revisions.
What happens when the brief is “quick and dirty”
Imagine a typical situation. A café owner orders a website and writes: “I want a site, a menu, contacts”. In the second week it turns out he also needs online booking, a page for corporate orders and an English version for tourists. Each item is additional scope, not a “minor detail”. The price goes up and the deadlines shift. This is not malice, just the result of nobody discussing the requirements before the start.
The second classic scenario is missing texts. The design is ready, development is finished, but the site shows “Lorem ipsum” because the texts are still not written. The launch is delayed by a month, and the cause is not the developer.
Common mistakes in a brief
- Describing the solution instead of the task. “We need a button in the top right corner” is a solution. The task sounds like: “The person must always be able to see how to contact us”.
- Hiding the budget. A budget range does not “give you away”, it helps propose a suitable option. Without it you will get either something too expensive or something cheap and poor quality.
- Copying the competitor. Examples are needed to understand taste, not to make “the same, but better”.
- Forgetting about content. A site is not only code, but also texts, photos and reviews.
- Agreeing on everything as a group. Appoint one person who has the final say.
What to do after the brief
Once the brief is ready, the developer comes back with an estimate: what is included, how much it costs, the timelines and what can be moved to a second stage. You can calculate an approximate amount yourself in the cost calculator, and leave detailed answers in our 5-minute brief: the questions adapt to what you need, so nothing unnecessary. We reply within 1 working hour and state the cost before work starts. How much a website usually costs is explained in a separate article on WordPress prices.
Example: how one paragraph of a brief saved a week
Let’s imagine a typical situation. The owner of a yoga studio orders a website and at first writes: “We need a site with style, a timetable and contacts”. The developer gives a price and timelines, and after a week it turns out that clients want to book online, buy passes and see the timetable on their phone. So she rewrites the brief like this:
A yoga studio with 3 rooms and 12 trainers. Right now we take bookings via Instagram and by phone, and we lose some enquiries because of that. We need a site with a timetable, online booking and payment for passes. Audience: women aged 25–45, mostly on mobile. We like calm colours and plenty of space (examples below). Training photos are ready, we will write the texts by 10 November. Launch by 1 December, budget up to 25,000 UAH.
This single paragraph states the goal, audience, features, content, deadline and budget. The developer does not need to guess, and you do not pay for “small” additions in the middle of the project. The difference between the two versions is not half a paragraph of text, but a week of clarifications and several open questions about money.
Frequently asked questions about the brief
How long does it take to fill in the brief?
If you already have the answers in your head, 15–30 minutes. Our form-based brief takes about 5 minutes, because it asks only the questions relevant to your task, and you can answer “I don’t know” to some of them.
Is a brief the same as a technical specification?
No. A brief describes the task and expectations, which is enough for an estimate. A technical specification is more detailed: structure, scenarios, requirements for features. It is often drafted only after the brief, during agreement.
What if I do not know the answers to half the questions?
That is normal. Mark “I don’t know” or describe the problem in your own words. We will propose options and help you decide, and you choose the one that suits you.
Are the brief and the preliminary estimate paid?
The consultation and the preliminary estimate are free. We state and confirm the exact cost before work starts.
Shall we discuss your task?
Tell us what you need and we'll name the cost and timeline. We work directly.