Website Development Brief Template

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About this template

This Brief is available in Word format for free at www.unitedfocus.com.au

This template document is designed to be used by organisations that need to document their

requirements for a new website. It provides a structure for explaining to web developers, oran in-house team, the aims of your new website, who it is to appeal to and what you want itto look like, what features it is to employ and how you intend to maintain it. This templatealso suggests the rules and method for going about the tender process rules for tendering,selection criteria etc.

What to do: Work through this document section by section, addressing each of the bulletpoints as appropriate to your circumstances. The aim is to provide sufficient detail forexternal web developers to provide a firm quotation for developing the website as outlined inthis document.

Other related documents available at www.unitedfocus.com.au

Tip Sheet #1 Ten website usability principles to embrace

Tip Sheet #3 How to make your website search engine friendly

Tip Sheet #4 How the Web can enhance your marketing activities

Tip Sheet #5 Content management systems explained

Tip Sheet #6 Website development brief template

Tip Sheet #7 Selecting a web developer checklist

Also refer to www.e-businessguide.gov.au for more resources and help.

How to

Engage and Manage

a

Web Developer

Workshop Manual

Better Business Series

Presented by
http://www.unitedfocus.com.au/documents/TipSheetNo1WebusabilityprinciplesbyUnitedFocus_000.pdfhttp://www.unitedfocus.com.au/documents/TipSheetNo3SearchenginebyUnitedFocus_000.pdfhttp://www.unitedfocus.com.au/documents/TipSheetNo4WebmarketingactivitiesbyUnitedFocus.pdfhttp://www.unitedfocus.com.au/documents/TipSheetNo5ContentmanagementsystemsbyUnitedFocus.pdfhttp://www.unitedfocus.com.au/documents/TipSheetNo4WebmarketingactivitiesbyUnitedFocus.pdfhttp://www.unitedfocus.com.au/documents/TipSheetNo1WebusabilityprinciplesbyUnitedFocus_000.pdfhttp://www.unitedfocus.com.au/documents/TipSheetNo3SearchenginebyUnitedFocus_000.pdfhttp://www.unitedfocus.com.au/documents/TipSheetNo4WebmarketingactivitiesbyUnitedFocus.pdfhttp://www.unitedfocus.com.au/documents/TipSheetNo5ContentmanagementsystemsbyUnitedFocus.pdf


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Web Development Brief Template by United Focus Pty Ltd

Website Development Brief

The development brief provides the developers with sufficient information on which to base aproposal to undertake the development of the website. It would be ideal if it were to containenough detail for external web developers to provide a firm quotation. Below is the outline ofa typical Development Brief that you can complete with your own information.

May 2005 2005 [email protected] Page 1


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1 About the organisat ion

Organisations mission statement

Services/products offered

History of the organisation esp. if relevant to this project

History of the current website (and past websites)

Technical environment

computers type, operating system (eg Windows XP), how are theyconnected

computer systems financial, stock & inventory, databases (customer)

Intranet whether you have one, if so what are the details

method of connection to the Internet - dial-up or broadband

2 E-business vision and objectives

The material in this section comes from the organisations e-business strategic plan ie theoverall strategy for its engagement with the Internet.

What is the vision of using Internet based technologies?

What are the objectives of having a website, using email, doing business online?

What are the intended outcomes of the engagement with the Internet?

3 Aims of this website

what is the aim of the website

what do you want the website to achieve

how, when and by whom will the website be evaluated

budget allocation (inc gst) how much have you allocated for the development

4 Target audience(s)

Be as specific as possible about who the target audiences are. Provide as accurate abreakdown of the demographics as possible, eg gender, age groups, location (state,national, international, rural, city), interests. Provide some assessment as to their likelyexperience using the Internet.



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5 Project management

Explain the management structure - who are the decision-makers, their respective roles,internal decision-making procedures. Detail your expectations re project meetings:

how frequently the project team is to meet with the developers

the agenda for those meetings

what is expected of the developers by way of reports

how proceedings are to be recorded

how disputes are to be resolved

Project schedule:

Specify the deliverables and milestones, your timeframe and any stages youspecifically require in the development process.

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7 Contents

content scope how many words, images, maps, minutes of video, audio etc

content type - eg text, photos, audio, and their current format - eg digitised, hardcopy

provide an information design map showing all headings and sub-headings to beused in the site and how they relate to each other.

Content maintenance: How is the content to be maintained after the launch eg viaa content management system, editing software eg Macromedias Dreamweaver,Contribute or Microsofts Frontpage?

If you want a content management system outline

features and controls you want for managing the CMS

the required interface, features and controls for adding (esp inMicrosoft Word format), deleting, moving and editing words, pages andobjects including images, video files



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document management features

required level of compliance with all relevant international standardsincluding accessibility



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8 Functionality

Identify the functional elements that are to be included in the site. Describe in as much detailas possible how you envisage each function will work from the users perspective.

Include the results or information you want and what tracking you want to be able to do whenusers access that functional element. For example, state how many online forms you want,how many fields of information each will contain, who the completed form is sent to in yourbusiness and in what format as text in an email or a file that can be imported into aspreadsheet, or is it to go automatically to a database or other program?

Here are some of the features you might want to specify for your site and examples of thetypes of specification you might need to include.

Feature Requirements for usersexamples only

Requirements for the editorexamples only

Search search the website for words,phrases and/or provide them withkey topics from which to choose.Result page to rank results andcategorise according to areas ofthe site.

Automatically indexes content ie no input o maintenancerequired. Keywords

Online forms Forms to be accompanied byinstructions, forms to be savedand accessed at any time by the

users.

Requires a form building tool sostaff can build and edit formswithout recourse to the web

developer.

Extranet isrequired

User enter user name andpassword giving access tospecific pages in the site

Establish, edit and manage list ofusers and passwords

Contact Us Users are to complete a form thatqualifies their enquiry and sendsit to a designated staff member.FAQs will be part of this sectionof the site.

Edit the designated staff memberand FAQ list

Subscriptionemail lists &

newsletter

Users are to be able to subscribeand unsubscribe to email lists

and e-newsletter

Compose e-newsletter andemails and send to multiple

recipients. Lists automaticallymanaged

Downloadablefiles

PDFs, images, audio files etc willbe on the site and should beaccompanied with description offile type, size and estimated timeto download

Text only versionof the site

Users are to be offered thechoice of only viewing the text onthe site, (no photos, diagramsetc)

Automatically generated andparallels the normal version ofthe site



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Feature Requirements for users

examples only

Requirements for the editor

examples only

Site map Link to site map to be availableon every page.

Automatically updates whenheadings changed, added,

moved.

Multilingualrequirements

a page with text in selectedlanguages is to be available viacountry flag button on the homepage providing phone number ofstaff to contact for help

Email a friend e-mail a friend is to be availableon relevant pages of the site eginformation pages

Printer-friendlyfunction

available on every page of thesite.

Bookmarking Users are to be able to bookmarkspecific pages of the site.

Links to othersites

Links to other sites must enableusers to return to this site

Internal and external link checkeris to be provided.

Interactivequestionnaires /surveys / polls.

Use the form building tool for this

Animations andvideos

Specify user interface andinstructions.

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10 Graphic design and usability

Detail your design criteria eg it must comply with the corporate identity/brand

usability specify what page layout, navigation features (eg breadcrumbs) andhelpful devices you want on the pages provide a list of dos and donts

provide URLs of websites you regard as good examples of what youre seeking

Specify accessibility requirements eg issued World Wide Web Consortium -www.w3c.org



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11 Databases (if applicable)

Are users of the site to talk to your organisations database(s)? If so, outline:

whether there is a need for instant links to keep the database up-to-dateinstantaneously or if periodic (eg daily/weekly) updating is sufficient

what restrictions are required for access to your database(s) and what level ofsecurity is required

how often you expect users to access the database(s) and how many at any onetime (estimate) eg if the site is to accompany an exhibition, when do you anticipate

greatest access to the site?



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13 E-Commerce (if applicable)

Do you want users to be able to purchase products and/or services via this site? If so, bespecific about:

the products and services which are to be offered online

the payment processes which are appropriate - eg instantaneous via a secure onlinepayment solution or users to provide credit card details with their order, leaving theorganisation to process the order and payment manually

the fulfilment details how you are going to ensure supply and how the product orservice is to be delivered

how and where the terms and conditions of purchase (returns, refunds policy,

disclaimers etc) are to be displayed to users.

14 General technical Issues

Speed the optimum speed and any special factors that may impact on it.

Hosting and Web Server arrangements are you doing it or an ISP?

Metadata provide


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16 Training and documentation

documentation requirements covering what and in what format eg online

training in use of maintenance system how many people need to be trained and if

there are any special circumstances eg multiple locations?



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17 Required information

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23

Tenderers written responses are to provide, as a minimum, relevant information using theheadings below and preferably in the order given:

23.1 Company information

Name of tenderer, Australian Business Number

Place of business and Postal address

Contact persons name and title including telephone, fax number and email address

Provide the name and contact details of the tenderers principal accountant whomay be asked to provide your organisations audited accounts for the past threeyears in order to verify financial viability.

Sub-contractor agreements - provide details of any agreement with any proposedsub-contractor.

23.2 Proposed team

Provide details of each person who will work on this project name, role, qualifications andrelevant experience.

23.3 Explanation of proposed solutions

The following general solutions being sought:1. the content management system

2. specific functionality3. graphic design4. hosting5. etc as required

The CLIENT NAME would appreciate respondents addressing each of these aspects of thesolutions being sought. With regard the CMS and specific functionality, please detail thefeatures of the CMS under the following headings:

features and controls for managing the CMS

the interface, features and controls for adding (esp in Microsoft Word format),deleting, moving and

editing words, pages and objects including images, video files

document management features

level of compliance with all relevant international standards including accessibility



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Please state and explain:

the terms, conditions and cost of post-launch support of the CMS and of anyassociated licence agreement

the names of organisations in Australia using the proposed CMS and contact detailsof people within those organisations we may contact to enquire about the qualityand appropriateness of the CMS.



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23.4 Compliance technical, accessibility and design

Please state the degree to which your proposed solution complies with relevant internationalstandards and Australian Government standards technical, accessibility and design.

Provide the URLs of websites you have developed that comply with these standards.

23.5 Proposed methodology and project management

Provide details about your proposed methodology for undertaking this project and the projectmanagement system you will employ. Please provide details of your risk management policyand procedures.

23.6 Additional information and ideas

Respondents are invited to propose additional or alternative elements and functionality tothat which is stipulated as a minimum in this document.

23.7 Compliance with the Agreement

Please specify the degree of compliance with the terms and conditions stated in the draftagreement. Provide details of any areas of non-compliance.

23.8 Client referees

Provide the contact details of three client referees for whom the tenderer has developedsimilar websites and whom the evaluation committee is able to contact if required. Pleaseprovide a brief description of the web project relevant to each referee.

23.9 Litigation and legal

Detail any prosecutions or legal actions taken by or against the tenderer. Detail any pendingprosecutions or legal actions taken by or against the tenderer. Provide details of anyinvestigation into the respondent, any subsidiary or affiliated body, whether in Australia or

overseas, by the Australian Securities Commission or any other Government authority.

23.10 Fee and costs

The following template is to be completed and included in submissions. It is designed toassist tenderers calculate their fee and to assist CLIENT NAME compare this aspect of allsubmissions. A fee range may be quoted for individual items and for the total, with anexplanation given as to the rationale behind determining the minimum and maximum feerange.



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23.11 Schedule of fees and costs

Fee/Cost Elements Fee / Cost GST Total

Project Management

Stage 1:Technical specification and Project Plan

Stage 2:The development

Provide, configure and commission content management system oroff-the-shelf editing software eg DreamWeaver, FrontPage

Graphic design and navigation design

E-commerce and shopping cart solution

Other features: eg database setup

Stage 3 Delivery and Deployment

Testing

Documentation

Training (total of 4 hours


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Other Please specify

TOTALS

Post-launch support Hourly fee GST Total hrly

fee

Hourly fee for providing additional programming support (ie outsidethe scope of the project plan) as and when requested by CLIENTNAME post launch.

Hourly fee for undertaking additional graphic design work (ie outsidethe scope of the project plan) as and when requested by CLIENTNAME post launch.



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24 Conditions of tendering

24.1 AgreementThe successful tenderer (the supplier) will be required to enter into a formal contract with theCLIENT NAME.

24.2 Ownership of tender documents

All tender documents will become the property of CLIENT NAME on submission.

CLIENT NAME may make copies of the tender documents for any purpose related to thisproject.

24.3 Tender validity periodOffers shall remain open for acceptance for six months from the submission of the proposal.

24.4 Compliance, partial compliance or non-compliance

The tenderer will be taken to agree or comply with all conditions of all parts of this documentunless the tenderer specifies otherwise, giving reasons.

24.5 Tenderers to inform themselves

Tenderers are responsible for taking all necessary steps to inform themselves of the clients

requirements, terms and conditions in regard to tendering for this project.

24.6 Tenderers to meet costs

Tenderers are to meet all costs of responding to this document, including preparation,submission, lodgement and negotiation costs.



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24.7 Criteria for selection

CLIENT NAME will be guided in their selection of the supplier by, but not limited to, thefollowing criteria (listed below in no particular order):

quality and appropriateness of the proposed solution

quality and appropriateness of the proposed team

is able to deliver a project of this size and nature within the time-frame proposed

value for money

demonstrates an understanding of the project requirements

quality and appropriateness of the proposed methodology

quality and appropriateness of any alternative solutions proposed

level of compliance with terms and conditions of the agreement

value of additional relevant skills and experience to contribute to the project

nature of the endorsement from referees (referees may not necessarily be contacted)

financial soundness and viability

24.8 Acceptance of tenders

CLIENT NAME may accept the whole or part of a tender

CLIENT NAME does not necessarily accept the lowest priced tender or any tender

CLIENT NAME reserves the right to negotiate with any tenderer or to seek clarification of

the contents of a tender from any tenderer

CLIENT NAME reserves the right to obtain any of the nominated products andservices from any party, whether that party is a tenderer or not

nothing in this document, or in any tender, or both, shall be construed to create anybinding contract (express or implied) between CLIENT NAME and any tenderer

CLIENT NAME reserves the right to stop or vary the tender process, or re-tender, at anytime



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May 2005 2005 unitedfocus.com.austevensmith@unitedfocus com au Page 21

Website Development Brief Template

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