Brief for website designer

Eliza_2

A graphic designer that I've met through some charity work that I do, has offered to design a website for us for a reasonable price, at the moment we have a very basic static one. He's asked me to tell him what he wants - I was rather hoping he would tell me what we need but still....

What sort of brief do I need to prepare? What sort of detail? For example, page one, logo at top, contact details at bottom, bit of text etc in middle, or will he go into that sort of detail and give me some options?

I really don't know where to start. I can only think that we need 3 pages with info about what we do and where we are and opening times and prices and that's it!! I'm not remotely creative which is why I've asked him. Someone suggested I take ideas from websites I like but I don't think I really register if I like a site or not and usually only pay attention to the bits on a website that give me the info I need easily. For example I have no idea what the stuff on the top or right of this page concerns as it doesn't answer any question I have. I don't know how to surf critically.

Also how do I determine what is a good price for what he does? Oh dear, I really do need some sort of benchmark I think. All I do know is that the designs of his that I've seen are aimed at children and young people which is our target audience.

Help please.

Liz

Mista_C

Eliza wrote: »

A graphic designer that I've met through some charity work that I do, has offered to design a website for us for a reasonable price, at the moment we have a very basic static one. He's asked me to tell him what he wants - I was rather hoping he would tell me what we need but still....

Think of it this way.
You: I want a drawing of the children
Artist: Sure, *scribble, scribble* There you go.
You: I meant my children
Artist: Oh! *scribble* There you go.
You: I meant at the age they're at now, not when they were young...

It's difficult to meet someone's expectations in this kind of thing without having a basic guideline to work from. I suspect this is what he wants from you. Admittedly it would be helpful to you if he gave you an idea of what's available but a good web designer today can pretty much make anything possible on a webpage.

What sort of brief do I need to prepare? What sort of detail? For example, page one, logo at top, contact details at bottom, bit of text etc in middle, or will he go into that sort of detail and give me some options?

I always ask for people to give me a basic drawing of what they'd like. Bar at the top with the logo, maybe a side bar on the left or right. Just a framework to provide a starting reference.
The best thing to do at this point is to sit down with him and ask him what he requires from you and you require from him.

I really don't know where to start. I can only think that we need 3 pages with info about what we do and where we are and opening times and prices and that's it!!

You see? You do know where to start and that's an excellent starting point for you but for the designer the content is one of the last things he will need. Number of pages isn't such an issue as once he's got the basic idea he can make a template so that content can be copied and pasted with little or no fuss.

I'm not remotely creative which is why I've asked him. Someone suggested I take ideas from websites I like but I don't think I really register if I like a site or not and usually only pay attention to the bits on a website that give me the info I need easily. For example I have no idea what the stuff on the top or right of this page concerns as it doesn't answer any question I have. I don't know how to surf critically.

I would normally suggest that customers take a look at the top ten websites, in terms of visitors, currently around.
You'll see Google right up there. Why is Google so popular? There are lots of other search engines so why does this one stand out? It's not the best search engine, it's not even a particularly good search engine BUT it's simple, Google know it's target audience well. You're there because you want to look for something, so without fuss or complication that's what they offer.

Take yourself out of the website owner bubble and put yourself into the website visitor bubble. If you were to be using your website what would you want from it? what wouldn't you want from it?

Have a look at sites that fit the same business model as yours, what have they done right and what have they done not so right?

Talk to your target audience, a bit of market research (yes again), and find out what they'd like to see and what they like about other sites that fit your business model.

Also how do I determine what is a good price for what he does? Oh dear, I really do need some sort of benchmark I think. All I do know is that the designs of his that I've seen are aimed at children and young people which is our target audience.

Help please.

Liz

Pricing isn't always straight-forward with web design. There's a variety of formats, scripting types, interactive media, etc. Your best bet is probably to get an idea of what you want and get a few quotes in to work out an average. At the very least it should give you a frame of reference.

Once you can get a basic framework of a site it's then possible to tweak and tinker until you get exactly what you want. Even if you had an image in your mind right now I can almost guarantee that the finished product will be noticably different after you've seen it "live" and jiggled bits round to perfect it.

Eliza_2

This is one of the stunningest, most helpful responses to a question on here that I have ever seen. I'm so so grateful for your advice and the time you have taken to respond.

Content is everything to me as a user, layout feels less important though subliminally probably more important than I think. The problem with Google is that people don't use the advanced options properly - if at all - and then complain that it brings up too many possible sites. (But then I was schooled in Boolean). So simple is definitely what is needed. Something that gives quick answers to 'when are you open' 'how much' and 'how can I contact you'. You're absolutely right.

Thank you again, much to chew over here, I'm really grateful yet again, and will no doubt be back!!

Liz