# Website project brief

Prepared with the Plainview Web website project preparation guide.
Guide: https://plainviewweb.com/guides/prepare-website-project

Save a working copy and replace each prompt. Use "Not decided" when an answer is unknown, then put the question in the decision log. Add rows as needed. This is a planning document, not a quote or an agreed scope of work.

Do not include passwords, secret keys, recovery codes, payment details or private customer information. Arrange account access separately.

## 1. Project and decision owner

- Business or project name:
- Existing website, if any:
- Brief prepared by:
- Last revised:
- Final decision owner:
- People providing feedback:
- How feedback will be collected and resolved:
- Who approves changes to scope, budget and schedule:

## 2. Audience and purpose

- Primary audience:
- Their main task or question:
- Evidence: actual inquiries, interviews or observed problems:
- Main visitor action:
- Information visitors need before that action:
- Secondary audiences or actions:
- Business goal to review after launch:
- How that goal will be observed, without promising a result:

## 3. Current website and migration

- New site, replacement or improvement:
- What currently works and should be retained:
- Known problems:
- Existing content, files and records to move; approximate quantity:
- URLs, downloads or campaigns that must keep working:
- Existing systems or email services that must remain operational:
- Who will supply an inventory or current-site export:

## 4. Launch page inventory

Readiness: not started / drafted / under review / approved. For an existing page, record keep / revise / merge / remove and discuss redirects before changing addresses.

| Page | Current or proposed path | Visitor purpose | Main action | Content owner | Readiness and missing content | Keep, revise, merge, remove or new |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |

## 5. Content, assets and references

| Item or group | Intended use | Current location | Permission or license status | Who creates or supplies it | Who approves it | Needed by | Readiness |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Service facts and contact details | | | | | | | |
| Written copy | | | | | | | |
| Logo and brand files | | | | | | | |
| Photos or illustrations | | | | | | | |
| Work examples and supporting claims | | | | | | | |

- Copywriting, photography, illustration or migration help requested:
- Brand rules that already exist:
- Reference website and specific detail worth learning from:
- Further reference and specific detail:
- Material that is reference-only and cannot be republished:

## 6. Features and complete workflows

Use one row per task. Record the visitor's inputs, destination, follow-up and failure behavior rather than only naming a feature.

| Feature or visitor task | Required at launch? | Inputs and expected result | Destination or connected system | Follow-up owner | Error or failure handling | Dependencies and unanswered questions |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |

- Content the owner needs to edit after launch; expected frequency:
- Accessibility requirements and who reviews them:
- Languages, browser/device needs or third-party constraints:
- Personal data collected and purpose:
- Storage, access and retention decisions still needed:
- Success and failure checks needed before launch:

## 7. Launch scope and later ideas

- Essential first-launch pages and features:
- Later ideas, with a reason to revisit each:
- Explicitly excluded work:
- Assumptions requiring confirmation before a quote:
- How a new request will be reviewed and approved:

## 8. Budget and schedule

- Available one-time budget range or limit; currency:
- What that budget must cover:
- Recurring services budget and what it must cover:
- Spending approver:
- Target launch date or window:
- Reason for that date; fixed or flexible:
- What can change if a dependency is late:

| Milestone or dependency | Responsible person | Needed by | What it blocks | Current status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Content and approved images | | | | |
| Account access | | | | |
| Scope and design approval | | | | |
| Working-site review | | | | |
| Corrections and final testing | | | | |
| Launch approval | | | | |

## 9. Accounts, ownership and ongoing work

Record provider/account names and access tasks only. Keep credentials outside this document.

| Service or asset | Provider or location | Account owner | Access confirmed? | Invitation or recovery task | Billing/renewal owner | Ongoing responsibility |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Domain registration | | | | | | |
| Website hosting | | | | | | |
| Business email | | | | | | |
| Website editor or CMS | | | | | | |
| Form delivery or other integration | | | | | | |
| Source files, original assets and licenses | | | | | | |

- Handoff files and instructions requested:
- Who changes content after launch:
- Who checks forms, updates, renewals and recoverable copies:
- Support arrangements to agree separately:

## 10. Acceptance checks and open decisions

Write observable checks rather than hoped-for business results. Example: an agreed test inquiry reaches the named inbox and its confirmation is clear.

- [ ] Required pages contain approved, accurate content.
- [ ] The main visitor path works at agreed narrow and wide layouts.
- [ ] Navigation and forms can be reviewed with a keyboard and visible focus.
- [ ] Agreed successful and unsuccessful form paths have been tested.
- [ ] Existing URLs, downloads and external systems are handled as agreed.
- [ ] Account control, files and instructions are ready for handoff.
- [ ] Final approver has reviewed the working site and approved launch.
- Additional project-specific checks:

| Question or assumption | Who resolves it | Needed by | Decision and date |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | | | |
| | | | |

## 11. Revision log

| Date | What changed | Who approved the change | Effect on scope, budget or schedule |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | | | |