How to Brief a Remote Developer: What Information They Actually Need

The single biggest cause of web projects going over budget and over time is not developer incompetence — it is an inadequate brief. When a developer does not have clear information, they make assumptions. Assumptions lead to rework. Rework costs you time and money.

This guide shows you exactly what information a developer needs before starting work, and gives you a template to copy and use.

The 8 Things Every Brief Must Include

1. What You Are Building

Describe the end product in plain English. Not "a website" — "a 6-page business website for a plumbing company with a contact form, a gallery of completed projects, and a page for each of our three service areas." Be specific.

2. Who It Is For

Describe your target audience. Age range, location, technical literacy, what device they primarily use (mobile vs desktop), and what they are trying to accomplish when they visit your site.

3. What Already Exists

Do you have an existing site? Existing branding (logo, colours, fonts)? Copy already written? Photos ready? List what is done and what the developer needs to create or source.

4. Reference Sites

Share 2-3 websites you like the look and feel of. Note specifically what you like about each — layout, colour scheme, navigation, animation. This prevents misaligned design expectations more than any written description.

5. Functional Requirements

List every feature the site needs: contact form, booking system, e-commerce, membership area, search, map, social feeds, live chat. Be exhaustive — adding features after development begins is expensive.

6. Technical Requirements

What platform should it be built on (WordPress, custom PHP, Shopify)? What hosting are you on? Do you have specific performance, security, or accessibility requirements? Any integrations needed (CRM, payment gateway, email marketing)?

7. Timeline

When do you need it live? Are there specific milestone dates (a launch event, a seasonal deadline)? Be realistic — a quality 10-page website typically takes 4-8 weeks from signed-off brief to launch.

8. Budget

State your budget range. Many business owners avoid this fearing it will be used against them — but it actually results in better proposals. Developers can scope appropriately rather than proposing solutions that are either over or under your actual budget.

Brief Template

Copy this template and fill in your answers before contacting any developer:

• Project overview: [What are you building and why?]
• Target audience: [Who will use this?]
• Existing assets: [Logo, copy, photos, current site URL]
• Reference sites: [URL 1 — I like: X. URL 2 — I like: Y]
• Features required: [Complete list]
• Platform preference: [WordPress / PHP / Shopify / no preference]
• Hosting details: [Provider, plan, server access details]
• Launch deadline: [Hard deadline or preferred date]
• Budget range: [£X – £Y]
• Who is the decision maker: [Who approves designs and gives final sign-off?]