Introduction: why a website is doomed without a quality brief
In business people often think it's enough to tell a developer: "Build a website." And that's it. But the result usually ends up far from what was expected: the design isn't liked, functionality is lacking, SEO doesn't work, and the budget "ate" all the plans.
The reason is simple — there was no proper technical brief. A brief is the roadmap of the project. If it's written clearly, the site turns out exactly as you expected. If not, you're in for misunderstandings and extra costs.
What a brief is and why it matters
A technical brief is a document that specifies:
- the site's goals,
- the structure and functionality it will have,
- which integrations are needed,
- the timeline and budget.
In fact, a brief is a contract between the business and the development team — just not a legal one but a working one.
What a quality website brief consists of
1. Goals and objectives
A site can be of different kinds: corporate, eCommerce, a blog or a landing page. Each needs its own emphasis. The brief should clearly answer: "Why are we building the site?" and "What results do we expect?".
2. Audience
A user portrait helps you understand how to shape design and UX. For example, for a B2B project restraint and logic matter, for eCommerce — simplicity and speed, for a startup — creativity and modernity.
3. Site structure
Specify which pages are needed: home, catalog, blog, contacts, service pages. The more clearly this is described, the easier it is for the designer and developer to work.
4. Functionality
Here you should list all the features: online booking, product filters, integrations with a CRM or payment systems, multilingual support, chatbots.
5. Design and style
Do you have a brand book? Which colors, fonts and elements should be used? Are there sites you like as an example?
6. SEO and technical requirements
- Does the site need to be multilingual?
- Is search engine optimization planned?
- What are the load speed requirements?
7. Timeline and budget
It's better to define a "corridor" with minimum and maximum limits. This helps avoid misunderstandings.
An example website brief template
1. General information
- Company name:
- Line of business:
- Site goals:
2. Target audience
- Who will use the site:
3. Structure
- Home
- About the company
- Services
- Blog
- Contacts
4. Functionality
- Request forms
- CRM integration
- Online chat
- SEO optimization
5. Design
- Colors:
- Example sites:
6. SEO
- Metadata
- Load speed > 90 Page Speed
- schema.org structured data
7. Timeline and budget
- Approximately: 2–3 months, budget XXXX $
A practical example
We worked with a client who initially came without a brief. Because of that we spent time on dozens of clarifications, redesigns and extra revisions. Then he agreed to write a short but structured brief: with clear blocks, a description of the functionality and examples of sites he likes.
The result: the site launched on time, SEO showed its first results within 2 months, and the client saved budget because everything was clear from the very beginning.
FAQ: what people often ask about the brief
1. Can you order a website without a brief?
You can, but it's a risk: you won't get a clear guarantee that the final result will match expectations.
2. Can you write the brief yourself?
Yes, but it's better to have it reviewed by the team that will build the site.
3. How many pages should a brief have?
Not necessarily many. Even 3–4 pages with the right structure are better than 20 pages of "fluff".
4. Does the brief affect SEO?
Yes, because that's where you can plan the site structure, speed and technical requirements.
Maybe don't delay?
A technical brief is not bureaucracy but a tool that saves time, money and nerves. If you truly want a site that works for your business, start with a quality brief.
👉 Book a consultation with Complex Agency and we'll help you draw up the perfect technical brief for your project.
