AVANGARDISM
Template to download

Website specification template

The sections of a website specification, from your goals to your agency selection criteria. For each one, two questions to guide you and a concrete example. Read it here or download it as a Word file, no form.

Download the template (.docx)Read the template

Word file, 11 sections, no form, no email

AlexandreMilanGautierSaleh+5
5/5 from nearly 40 client reviewsA team of 9 people in Paris
Template.docxWebsite specification

How to use it

What is a website specification for?

A specification describes your project so that several agencies understand it the same way and answer on a common basis. It then serves as the reference throughout the project: what was planned, what was added, what remains to be done.

This template covers the sections an agency needs to price a website. Each one has two questions to guide you and an example written for a fictional architecture firm. Replace the example with your own situation: a few lines per section are often enough.

The Word file is free to access, with no form and no email. You can edit it, remove the sections you do not need and send it to the agencies of your choice.

The template

The sections of the specification

  1. 01

    Company and project background

    Describe your company, its business and the reason for the project, so an agency understands your situation without a preliminary meeting.

    Questions to ask yourself

    • What does your company do, for whom, and what sets it apart from competitors?
    • Why start the project now: aging website, new offer, organizational change?

    Example: A 15-person architecture firm in Lyon, specialized in office renovation. The current site dates from 2017, displays poorly on mobile and does not show our recent projects.

  2. 02

    Measurable goals

    A useful goal can be measured: an indicator, a starting value, a target and a deadline. It guides the agency's choices and is used to evaluate the project.

    Questions to ask yourself

    • What action do you expect from visitors: quote request, appointment booking, purchase, job application?
    • How do you measure it today, and what value are you aiming for in 6 or 12 months?

    Example: Go from 8 to 20 qualified project requests per month within 12 months of launch, counted in our CRM.

  3. 03

    Audiences and users

    Describe the people who will use the site: visitors, but also the members of your team who will manage it.

    Questions to ask yourself

    • Who are your priority visitors and what do they come looking for?
    • Who on your team will update the site, and with what technical level?

    Example: Corporate real estate directors comparing firms before a tender. An assistant will publish the news, with no technical skills.

  4. 04

    Site structure

    List the main sections and planned pages. A draft structure is enough: the agency will rework it with you.

    Questions to ask yourself

    • Which pages already exist, and which should be created, merged or removed?
    • Does the site need to be multilingual, and does that apply to every page?

    Example: Home, Expertise (3 pages), Projects (pages filterable by building type), Firm, Careers, Contact. English version for the home page and projects.

  5. 05

    Expected features

    Describe what the site must let people do, not the technology. Separate the essential from the nice-to-have to make trade-offs easier.

    Questions to ask yourself

    • Which features are essential at launch, and which can wait for a second phase?
    • Does the site need to exchange data with your tools: CRM, recruitment software, calendar?

    Example: Essential: project filter, contact form connected to our CRM. Nice-to-have: online job applications, appointment booking.

  6. 06

    Content and responsibilities

    Content delays more projects than development does. Specify who writes, who provides the visuals and who approves.

    Questions to ask yourself

    • Which texts, photos and videos already exist, and which need to be produced?
    • Who approves content on your side, and how quickly?

    Example: Expertise pages rewritten by the agency from our notes; project photos provided by the firm; approval by the managing partner within 5 business days.

  7. 07

    Technical constraints

    State what is imposed or already in place: hosting, CMS, security, accessibility. A constraint known early costs less than one discovered at the end of the project.

    Questions to ask yourself

    • Are hosting, a CMS or tools imposed by your IT department or your group?
    • What accessibility level are you aiming for under the RGAA (the French accessibility framework), and are you legally required to comply?

    Example: Hosting in France required by our IT department. CMS left to the agency, provided a non-technical person can publish a news item alone. RGAA criteria applied from the mockups.

  8. 08

    SEO and visibility in AI search engines

    A site is designed to be found. Describe your current situation on Google and the topics you want to be visible on, including in the answers of AI search engines.

    Questions to ask yourself

    • Which pages of your current site get visits from Google, and must be kept or redirected?
    • For which searches, and which questions asked to AI assistants, do you want to appear?

    Example: Keep the visits to the “office renovation” pages, with a 301 redirect for every changed address. Aim for visibility on “office renovation architect Lyon”, on Google and in AI search engine answers.

  9. 09

    Budget range

    A range lets the agency propose the right scope rather than quotes that cannot be compared. Separate the build from the costs that come back every year.

    Questions to ask yourself

    • What range do you have in mind for the build, and who approves it?
    • What annual budget do you plan for hosting, maintenance and improvements?

    Example: A range for the build, stated excluding tax, and a separate annual budget for hosting and maintenance. We would like a proposal detailed line by line.

  10. 10

    Schedule

    Give the target launch date and what drives it, as well as your availability for approvals.

    Questions to ask yourself

    • What launch date are you aiming for, and is it tied to a specific event?
    • Which periods should be avoided for your teams: holidays, year-end closing, trade shows?

    Example: Launch wanted before our trade show in March. Approval meetings possible on Tuesdays, outside the summer holidays.

  11. 11

    Agency selection criteria

    Stating your criteria and how the consultation will run lets agencies answer on what matters to you.

    Questions to ask yourself

    • On what criteria will you compare proposals: method, references, team, price, follow-up?
    • How many agencies are you consulting, and when will you announce your choice?

    Example: 3 agencies consulted. Criteria: understanding of the need (30%), method and schedule (25%), comparable references (20%), price (15%), post-launch follow-up (10%). Decision announced within 3 weeks.

Download the template (.docx)

Word file, 11 sections, no form, no email

Is your specification ready?

Describe your project in our scoping form: a project manager will reply within 24 business hours and you can then send them your specification.

Describe my projectContact us

Frequently asked questions

Your questions about website specifications

  • It is the document that describes your project before you consult agencies: background, goals, audiences, pages, features, constraints, budget and schedule. It lets you receive comparable proposals and serves as the reference during the project.

Describe my project

Some of the clients who trust us

  • Radio France
  • GL events
  • ING
  • Messika
  • LVMH
  • FEHAP

We use Google cookies to measure how well our ads perform. They are only set with your consent. Learn more