Define Site Requirements – Initial Questionnaire

Here is a list of questions that should be asked to the client during the initial interview for a web design project.

Management

• What is the main objective of the site? How about secondary objectives?
• Who will be the owner or webmaster of the site?
• Who are the primary content experts?
• Is there a budget allocated for the site? If so, what is the price range?

Web Design

• Who are the intended audience, target market? What are their attitudes?
• What is the image/brand that you like to project? (e.g. avant-garde, hip, trendy, corporate, knowledgeable, conservative, etc.)
• Do you have an existing logo? slogan? brochures? If so, please provide us a copy.
• What are the products and services that you like to offer on the web? What is your competitive advantage.
• Do you have an existing site map? *
• Please provide list of competitors’ web site along with their strengths and weaknesses.
• Please provide sample of sites that you like, and specify why you like them.
• Please provide sample of sites that you DON’T like, and specify why.

Technology

• Do you have the domain name registered?
• Do you have identified web hosting provider?
• What is the expected average # of visitors? What are their connection bandwidth?
• Do you have need to support browsers other than IE, Firefox and Netscape? If so, please specify, with minimum version
• Is there a need to dynamic content? (e.g. blogs, news, forum, etc?)
• Any specific functionalities that require more than HTML scripting.*
• Is there a need for audiovisual content? (e.g. vidcast, podcast)

Some questions may not be directly answered by client – specially the ones marked with *. In such case, you need to work with them on their requirements to further understand the need.