Koku & Co.
Insights

Website redesign brief template

By Koku & Co.

Use this free website redesign brief template to collect the decisions a designer or developer needs: what your business does, what customers should do, and what needs to change. Copy it into your own document or download the text file. No email address or account is needed.

Answer what you know and leave the rest as “not sure.” The brief is optional. You can contact Koku & Co. with a short description of your project, even if you have not filled it in.

Copy the template

Keep the first version simple. List the tools and accounts involved; arrange access separately instead of putting passwords in your brief. Edit your own copy and share it with the people reviewing the project.

Download text template

WEBSITE REDESIGN BRIEF
Prepared with the free Koku & Co. template
Template source: https://kokuand.co/insights/website-redesign-brief-template/

Use the prompts that help. Leave anything uncertain as "not sure."

1. BUSINESS AND CUSTOMERS
Business name:
Current website URL:
What we do, and who we serve:
Locations and languages the website needs to support:

2. GOALS AND CURRENT PROBLEMS
The main action a visitor should take (for example, inquire or book):
What makes that action difficult on the current site:
What is working and should stay:
What a useful improvement would look like, and how we could check it:

3. PAGES AND CONTENT
Pages to keep, rewrite, combine, add or retire:
Important existing URLs or search content to preserve:
Copy, photos and translations that are ready:
Content still needed, and who will prepare and approve it:
Brand assets we have, and any brand work we need:
Two or three reference websites, and what is useful about each:

4. FUNCTIONS AND WORKFLOW
Required actions (inquiries, bookings, payments or other tasks):
Information each action needs to collect:
Who receives it, and what happens next:
Tools to keep or connect, including any subscriptions:
Who updates the website, and what they need to edit:
Anything we can leave for a later phase:

5. WORDPRESS AND EXISTING ACCOUNTS
Current platform, host and domain provider, if known:
WordPress theme, page builder or important plugins, if applicable:
Who owns the accounts and can arrange access (no passwords here):
Existing problems with editing, performance or maintenance:
Any migration or platform decision that still needs advice:

6. BUDGET AND TIMING
Working budget or range, if known (include the currency):
Whether that needs to include copy, images, brand or other work:
Preferred launch date, why it matters, and any flexibility:
Dates our team can review the work:
Dependencies that could affect the schedule:

7. REVIEW AND APPROVAL
Main project contact:
People providing input:
Person who can approve scope, design, content and launch:
How feedback will be collected and agreed:

8. LAUNCH AND HANDOVER
Customer journeys that must work before launch:
Redirects and existing search visibility to review:
Accessibility, privacy, analytics or other requirements to discuss:
Editing instructions and account handover we need:
Who will handle hosting, updates, backups and ongoing support:
Questions or decisions we still need help with:

This brief is a starting point for discussion. Confirm the deliverables,
responsibilities, fee and schedule in the agreed project scope.

Make the scope concrete

Describe what should happen after a visitor takes action. “We need a form” leaves the next steps open. “Wedding inquiries need the event date and location, then go to the person preparing the proposal” gives the team something to plan and test.

Our Aloha Florals 808 project brings floral photography, service pricing and different inquiry paths into a custom WordPress website. A brief for a comparable project should identify the service information, images and questions each inquiry needs.

Birdsong Kyoto has Japanese and English pages and a trial-booking journey. For a similar scope, list who prepares each language, how people choose a trial date and which confirmation they receive. Those details help explain the work behind the page count.

Separate essentials for the first release from ideas for later. Mark unanswered questions clearly so your team can discuss them before agreeing the scope, fee and schedule.

Continue planning

Talk to us when you are ready

You can use this template with your own team or any designer or developer. If you would like Koku & Co. to help, tell us about your website. A current website URL and a short description are enough to start the conversation.

Our website design and redesign service can help turn those questions into an agreed project scope. You do not need a completed brief to get in touch.