A practical starting point
Turn scattered notes, photos and account details into a usable brief before design begins.
1. Choose the main customer action
Write down who the website is for, what you offer and what a visitor should do next. A service business might want a quote request; another business might need appointments or product enquiries. Choose the primary action before adding features.
For example, a repair business could use: “Explain the repair services, show the kinds of jobs we accept and let customers request an estimate.” This is a hypothetical planning example, not a One Touch client result. List any booking or payment requirements separately so their scope can be discussed.
2. Give each page a clear purpose
Make a short page list and write one sentence describing what each page helps a customer learn. A starting outline might include Home, Services, About and Contact. Add a separate service page only when you have enough distinct, useful information to justify it.
A page brief should answer: What does the reader need to know? What evidence can we provide? What is the next step? Avoid creating nearly identical pages with only a town name changed. Describe where you actually work without inventing offices or local experience.
Checklist
- Primary customer action
- Proposed page names and purposes
- Features that need a separate scope discussion
3. Gather accurate text and supporting material
Prepare service descriptions, contact details, operating hours and answers to common customer questions. Explain what is included, what is excluded and how someone gets started. If pricing is public, check that it is current and specify what the price covers.
Collect your logo, usable photos and any brand preferences. Use images you own or have permission to publish. Label photos with what they show so the designer can place them meaningfully. Obtain permission before publishing customer quotes, names or project details; do not fill gaps with invented reviews.
Checklist
- Approved business details and service descriptions
- Logo and appropriately licensed images
- Permission for any customer or project material
4. Identify accounts without sharing passwords in a brief
Record who controls the domain, hosting and business email, and whether an existing website needs to be replaced. Explain which tools already handle appointments or enquiries. Do not place passwords, recovery codes or customer records in a shared planning document.
When access is needed, ask about the provider's invitation or delegated-access options. Keep account ownership and recovery information under your control. Agree on who will approve content and who will handle changes after launch, rather than assuming every future task is included.
5. Check the brief before handing it over
Read your draft as a first-time customer. Can someone tell what you do, whether it fits their needs and how to contact you? Mark missing content instead of disguising it with vague filler. Decide who will collect feedback into one clear list.
Your finished brief should contain the goal, page outline, approved materials, account contacts and open questions. This supports a focused scope discussion; it does not guarantee a launch date. At One Touch, light editing of supplied text and full website copywriting are different options. Compare their scope on the pricing page.
A resource to keep
Website Project Brief
Copy or print this outline, then fill it in at your own pace. Unknowns can stay open questions.
Important: keep sensitive information out
Do not include passwords, API keys, payment information, Social Security numbers, or other sensitive credentials in this brief. Use provider invitations, delegated access, or an agreed secure sharing method for account access—not this document.
WEBSITE PROJECT BRIEF Replace the bracketed prompts with your answers in your own document. Leave unknown details as open questions. IMPORTANT: Do not include passwords, API keys, payment information, Social Security numbers, or other sensitive credentials in this brief. Use provider invitations, delegated access, or an agreed secure sharing method for account access—not this document. 1. Business goal [What should the website help your business achieve? Describe the main outcome.] 2. Target customers [Who is the website for? Describe their needs and the questions they want answered.] 3. Primary services / products [List your real services or products, priorities, and important inclusions or exclusions.] 4. Desired pages [List the pages you need and the purpose of each. Mark anything you are unsure about.] 5. Calls to action [What should visitors do next? Choose a primary action, such as request a quote or book an appointment.] 6. Approved text / images / logo [List approved materials and what is still missing. Confirm permission to use images and customer material.] 7. Required features / integrations [List booking, payments, email tools, or other requirements. Name providers only—no keys or payment details.] 8. Domain / hosting / account ownership [Name the domain and providers, who owns each account, and who can grant access. Do not include credentials.] 9. Timeline / deadline [Give your desired start and target date, why the deadline matters, and whether it is flexible. Dates are requests, not guarantees.] 10. Open questions [List decisions, scope questions, and anything that needs clarification before work starts.]
When you want a hand
Related support
Ready to discuss a build? See how a website project works after you have organized your brief.
Further reading
Continue exploring
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