To give a client what they want, we need to know what that is. The most obvious way to find out is to ask questions, the second is to provide a questionnaire for them to complete. If the client is serious about engaging our services they won’t mind taking the time necessary to provide the information we need to give them what they want. If they don’t want to complete it, they couldn’t have been serious in the first place.

A good questionnaire will look something like this. Feel free to use it, change it or whatever.

What is the Sites Goal?

• What is the goal of the site? Is it to sell? Inform?
• Who is the intended audience? Young? Old? Demographic?
• What do you want to offer this audience? Self help? Information? Support?

About the Existing Site

• How much of the existing site is to be incorporated, if any?
• Will we be doing a redesign or building from scratch?
• How is it to be hosted? What platforms does the hosting support?

Project Details

• What is the deadline? When does the site need to be live?
• Does the launch coincide with anything else? Product Launch PR campaign etc?
• Who are your competitors?
• Who approves the project changes?
• Who will create the content?
• What kind of content will need to be on the site?
• How often will content need to be added or refreshed?

Design & Content Considerations

• Do you have existing brand elements i.e. logo, business cards, letterhead, that need to be incorporated into the design? Specific brand colors?
• Any special requirements or must haves?
• What pages in addition to a Home Page do you require?

There are a few questions there, some of which will need thought. That consideration is essential for us to get an idea of what the client wants, and what they want to give the end user.

Working with a designer of any kind is a collaborative effort. Communication is key in order for either of you to get what you want from the situation. It’s also an investment. The more time and effort you put into something the better the payoff at the end. For the designer to be able to turn your vision into reality they first need a good idea of what that vision is. The clearer you can paint it for them ,the more likely it is to be realized.