If websites were cars…
…as web agencies we often receive briefs that are the equivalent of this:

We would like a new car please. The car should have:


• An engine

• 4 wheels
• 4 doors

• 1 steering wheel
• 
40-CD changer in-car MP3 compatible digital radio stereo with Bluetooth and GPS

Can you tell us how much it will cost?

To which our response is: how much do you want to spend? Don't you need brakes on your car as well, and windows and lights and a boot? What sort of journeys will you be doing in this car? How many people is it for? How long will you run it for? When do you need it delivered by? (And we'd also be tempted to ask, why are you being so weirdly specific about something that's quite a luxury?)

That tells us the level of attention you want paying to the design and quality of build (for example, is it a Vauxhall or a Bentley?). 
It tells us whether the features you're asking for suit the purpose (whether you need a 2-seater for city driving or a multi-purpose vehicle with lots of storage space for long journeys).
 It also allows us to check whether there are any things you haven't thought about and we might need to make allowances for in the budget (like ABS or airbags for example).

There is a lot of difference between a Vauxhall and a Bentley but they both make drivable cars that work for a lot of people. It does bother me that often charities make decisions on cost alone without considering quality of build. So there are a lot of people who have Vauxhall budgets going to Bentley agencies and expecting Toyota Priuses (should that be Prii?) - and everybody is disappointed.

You can only really tell whether you're getting good value for money by balancing deliverables against quality of design and good references.

What next?

Take a look at Rachel’s detailed article that includes a step-by step guide to drawing up your web brief, or take a look at Media Trust’s professional development events on digital skills.

Courtesy of

Rachel Collinson, MD, Rechord