Introduction
A web design brief is the cornerstone of any successful website project. It serves as the roadmap that guides designers, developers, and stakeholders toward a shared vision. However, even with the best intentions, many businesses fall into common traps when drafting their briefs, leading to misunderstandings, scope creep, budget overruns, and ultimately, websites that fail to meet business objectives.
Having worked with countless clients across various industries, I’ve witnessed firsthand how seemingly minor oversights in the briefing process can cascade into major project issues. The good news? These mistakes are entirely avoidable with the right awareness and approach.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the most common pitfalls in web design briefs and provide actionable strategies to avoid them. Whether you’re preparing to launch a new website or planning a redesign, understanding these potential stumbling blocks will help you craft a brief that sets your project up for success from day one.
Mistake #1: Vague or Ambiguous Objectives
The Problem
One of the most prevalent issues in web design briefs is the lack of clear, specific objectives. Statements like “We need a modern website” or “Our site should look professional” are subjective and open to interpretation. Without concrete goals, designers are left guessing what success looks like, and you’re left disappointed when the result doesn’t match your unstated expectations.
Real-World Impact
A marketing agency approached a web design team with a brief that simply stated they wanted a “cutting-edge website that stands out from competitors.” Six weeks and several thousand dollars later, the design team proudly presented a bold, experimental layout with innovative navigation. The client rejected it immediately, explaining they had actually wanted something clean and minimal with traditional navigation but more modern visuals. Both parties had interpreted “cutting-edge” differently, resulting in wasted time, budget, and frustration on both sides.
The Solution
Define success in specific, measurable terms. Instead of saying “We need a modern website,” articulate what “modern” means to you with examples and concrete descriptions: “We need a website with a clean, minimalist aesthetic, featuring ample white space, sans-serif typography, and a muted color palette. The site should incorporate subtle animations to enhance user engagement without feeling overwhelming.”
Additionally, tie your website objectives to business goals:
- “Increase qualified lead generation by 25% within six months of launch”
- “Reduce customer support inquiries by providing clear, searchable product information”
- “Decrease shopping cart abandonment rate from 70% to below 50%”
These specific objectives give designers clear targets and provide metrics against which success can be measured.
Mistake #2: Insufficient Audience Definition
The Problem
Many briefs include only basic demographic information about the target audience, such as age range and location. This surface-level understanding fails to capture the motivations, pain points, and behaviors that should inform design decisions.
Real-World Impact
A B2B software company created a website based on a brief that simply defined their audience as “IT professionals in mid-to-large enterprises.” The resulting site emphasized technical specifications and jargon. Post-launch analytics revealed high bounce rates and low conversion. User research later showed that while the technical decision-makers were indeed IT professionals, the initial research and shortlisting was typically done by non-technical operations managers who found the site impenetrable and quickly moved on to competitors with more accessible messaging.
The Solution
Develop detailed user personas that go beyond demographics to include:
- Professional roles and responsibilities
- Key challenges and pain points
- Goals and motivations
- Technical proficiency
- Content preferences and consumption habits
- Decision-making factors
- Typical user journey before, during, and after website interaction
For complex products or services with multiple audience segments, prioritize these personas and be clear about which are primary and which are secondary. This helps designers make informed decisions when trade-offs are necessary.
Consider including actual quotes from customer interviews or support interactions to bring these personas to life. Real language from real users is invaluable for understanding how to communicate effectively with your audience.
Mistake #3: Unrealistic Budget Expectations
The Problem
Many briefs either omit budget information entirely or set unrealistic expectations for what can be achieved within the available resources. This leads to proposals that are either wildly over budget or solutions that cut corners to meet financial constraints.
Real-World Impact
A retail business approached several agencies with a brief for an e-commerce website featuring custom product configurators, integrated inventory management, and personalized recommendations. The brief didn’t mention budget, and when proposals came in ranging from $50,000 to $150,000, the client was shocked—they had allocated just $15,000. The project was delayed for months while they either sought additional funding or scaled back requirements, losing valuable market opportunity in the process.
The Solution
Be transparent about your budget range from the outset. This isn’t about giving away your negotiating position; it’s about enabling designers to propose appropriate solutions within your financial constraints.
If your budget is fixed, clearly prioritize features and functionality so designers understand what’s essential versus what’s desirable. This allows for a phased approach where the most critical elements are delivered first, with additional features implemented as resources allow.
Remember that a website is an investment in your business, not just an expense. Consider the potential return on investment when setting your budget, and be realistic about the relationship between cost, quality, and scope. As the saying goes: “Fast, good, cheap—pick two.”
Mistake #4: Feature Lists Without Context
The Problem
Many briefs include lengthy lists of features and functionality without explaining the underlying user needs or business objectives they serve. This “shopping list” approach often leads to bloated websites with features that go unused while missing capabilities that would actually drive value.
Real-World Impact
A professional services firm requested a website with a blog, newsletter signup, client portal, event calendar, resource library, and team profiles. The design agency delivered exactly that, but six months after launch, analytics showed that the event calendar and client portal had almost no usage, while users were frequently searching for case studies—a content type not included in the original brief. The firm had requested features they thought they should have rather than what their audience actually needed.
The Solution
For each feature or function you request, articulate:
- The user need it addresses
- The business objective it supports
- How success will be measured
- The priority level relative to other features
This context helps designers understand not just what to build, but why it matters, enabling them to suggest alternatives that might better serve the underlying need.
Consider using the MoSCoW method to prioritize features:
- Must have: Critical for launch
- Should have: Important but not critical
- Could have: Desirable if resources permit
- Won’t have: Out of scope for this phase
This framework ensures essential functionality is delivered while maintaining flexibility for nice-to-have features.
Mistake #5: Ignoring Technical Constraints
The Problem
Briefs often focus on design and functionality without addressing technical limitations or requirements. This oversight can lead to proposals that are technically unfeasible, incompatible with existing systems, or that create maintenance nightmares down the road.
Real-World Impact
A healthcare provider requested a website redesign with advanced patient-facing features. The brief didn’t mention that these features needed to integrate with their legacy patient management system, which had limited API capabilities. The selected design agency created beautiful mockups and prototypes, only to discover during development that the integration was impossible without a major overhaul of the back-end systems—a project that would cost three times the website budget and take 18 months to implement.
The Solution
Include a technical requirements section in your brief that addresses:
- Hosting environment and constraints
- Content management system requirements or preferences
- Required integrations with existing systems (CRM, ERP, marketing automation, etc.)
- Authentication or security requirements
- Performance expectations and constraints
- Maintenance considerations and internal capabilities
If you have technical stakeholders or an IT department, involve them in the briefing process. Their input can help identify potential roadblocks early and ensure the proposed solution aligns with your technical ecosystem.
If you’re not technically savvy, be upfront about this and ask potential partners to help identify technical considerations you might have missed. A good agency will appreciate your candor and help guide you through these decisions.
Mistake #6: Neglecting Content Strategy
The Problem
Many briefs focus on the container (the website) while giving little thought to the content that will fill it. This often leads to designs that don’t accommodate the actual content needs or, worse, completed websites that sit empty while content is hastily created as an afterthought.
Real-World Impact
A manufacturing company commissioned a website redesign with a tight six-week timeline. The brief focused entirely on visual design and functionality, with a single line stating “Client will provide all content.” Two days before launch, the design agency received a folder containing 200+ product descriptions, 50 technical datasheets, and 15 case studies—all requiring formatting and optimization. The launch was delayed by two months while content was properly prepared and integrated, causing the company to miss a major industry trade show where they had planned to promote the new site.
The Solution
Address content strategy explicitly in your brief:
- Outline existing content that will be migrated versus new content that needs to be created
- Clarify who is responsible for content creation, editing, and approval
- Establish realistic timelines for content development
- Define content types and structures
- Articulate voice, tone, and style guidelines
- Consider multilingual requirements if applicable
- Address SEO requirements and keyword strategy
If you don’t have internal resources for content creation, consider including content development in the project scope. Many design agencies offer content services or can recommend partners.
Remember that content should drive design, not the other way around. The most beautiful website will fail if it doesn’t communicate effectively with your audience.
Mistake #7: Insufficient Stakeholder Alignment
The Problem
Briefs are often created by a single department or individual without input from all stakeholders who will ultimately judge the project’s success. This leads to shifting requirements, conflicting feedback, and design by committee once the project is underway.
Real-World Impact
A marketing manager at a financial services company created a comprehensive brief for a website redesign. Three weeks into the project, the compliance department raised concerns about regulatory requirements not addressed in the brief. Two weeks later, the sales team requested major changes to the lead generation approach. Each stakeholder had valid input, but because they weren’t consulted during the briefing process, their requirements came as disruptive surprises, extending the timeline by 60% and increasing the budget by 40%.
The Solution
Identify all stakeholders who should have input on the website and involve them in the briefing process. This typically includes:
- Marketing team
- Sales representatives
- Customer service/support staff
- Product managers
- IT department
- Compliance/legal (if applicable)
- Executive leadership
Consider conducting stakeholder interviews or workshops to gather diverse perspectives before finalizing the brief. This upfront investment pays dividends by preventing costly changes and revisions later.
Once you’ve gathered input, create a clear decision-making framework that balances inclusive input with efficient decision-making. Clarify who has input, who has influence, and who has final approval authority for different aspects of the project.
Mistake #8: Overlooking Maintenance and Growth
The Problem
Many briefs focus exclusively on the initial build without considering how the website will be maintained, updated, and expanded over time. This short-sighted approach often results in websites that become outdated quickly or that require expensive developer intervention for routine updates.
Real-World Impact
A retail chain launched a beautiful new website with custom-coded templates and unique interactive elements. The brief had emphasized visual impact and brand expression, which the design agency delivered brilliantly. However, six months later, when the marketing team wanted to add a new product category and update the homepage seasonal promotion, they discovered that even minor changes required developer assistance at $150/hour. The website that had seemed like a perfect solution became a frustrating bottleneck for marketing initiatives.
The Solution
Include future-proofing considerations in your brief:
- Who will maintain the website after launch?
- What level of technical expertise do they have?
- What types of updates will be needed and how frequently?
- How might the website need to scale or evolve over the next 1-3 years?
- What level of customization is appropriate given your maintenance capabilities?
Be explicit about the balance you’re seeking between custom design/functionality and ease of maintenance. Sometimes a slightly less custom solution that your team can easily update is more valuable than a highly bespoke website that becomes a maintenance burden.
Consider requesting training or documentation as part of the deliverables to ensure your team can effectively manage the site post-launch.
Mistake #9: Fuzzy Timeline Expectations
The Problem
Briefs often include unrealistic timelines (“We need this live in three weeks”) or no timeline guidance at all. Without proper timeline planning, projects either rush to meet arbitrary deadlines (compromising quality) or drag on indefinitely without clear milestones.
Real-World Impact
A nonprofit organization approached a design agency with a brief for a donation platform that needed to launch “as soon as possible” for year-end giving. The agency expedited their process and presented concepts within a week. The client took three weeks to provide feedback, then requested significant revisions. This pattern continued, with the client taking weeks for decisions while still insisting on the urgent timeline. The rushed work and compressed testing period led to technical issues during the year-end campaign, resulting in lost donations and donor frustration.
The Solution
Provide realistic timeline parameters in your brief:
- Ideal launch date and any hard deadlines (with rationale)
- Key milestones or events that might impact timing
- Internal review and approval processes and their typical duration
- Any blackout periods when key stakeholders will be unavailable
Be transparent about your own organization’s decision-making speed and capacity to provide feedback. If you typically need two weeks for internal reviews, account for this in the timeline rather than expecting the design team to compress their work to compensate.
Consider a phased approach if the ideal timeline is tight. Launching with core functionality and adding features in subsequent releases often yields better results than rushing to include everything at once.
Mistake #10: Treating the Brief as a One-Time Document
The Problem
Many see the brief as a document to be created at the project’s outset and then filed away. This static approach fails to acknowledge that insights gained during the design process may legitimately change project requirements.
Real-World Impact
An e-commerce company created a detailed brief for their website redesign, including user personas developed two years prior. The design agency followed the brief faithfully, but during user testing, it became clear that customer behaviors and expectations had evolved significantly. Rather than updating the brief and adjusting the approach, the project manager insisted on adhering to the original requirements. The resulting website underperformed because it was designed for yesterday’s customers, not today’s.
The Solution
Frame the brief as a living document that establishes initial direction but can evolve based on research, testing, and insights gained during the design process. Include a clear process for:
- Evaluating potential changes to requirements
- Documenting agreed-upon changes
- Assessing impact on timeline, budget, and scope
- Communicating changes to all stakeholders
This flexible approach doesn’t mean allowing scope creep or abandoning initial objectives. Rather, it acknowledges that the design process itself often reveals insights that couldn’t have been known at the outset.
Consider scheduling brief review checkpoints at key project milestones to ensure the direction remains aligned with business objectives and user needs.
Conclusion
A well-crafted web design brief is the foundation of a successful website project. By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll create a document that not only communicates your requirements clearly but also sets realistic expectations, aligns stakeholders, and provides the flexibility to adapt to insights gained during the design process.
Remember that the brief is ultimately a communication tool—one that should foster collaboration and shared understanding between you and your design partners. Invest the time to create a comprehensive brief upfront, and you’ll reap the rewards of a smoother process, more effective website, and stronger return on your investment.
The most successful website projects aren’t those that adhere rigidly to initial requirements, but those that maintain a clear focus on business objectives and user needs while allowing the path to those goals to evolve based on what is learned along the way.
For more insights try: How to take a web design brief
