Predesign Questionnaire
March 20, 2011 Tags: Change This, design, Ian Wheeler, inspiration, questionnaire, work
Category: General, Inspiration No Comments 
Having recently re-done my website, I forgot to backup / save one of the most crucial elements. The pre-design questionnaire! To me the pre-design questionnaire is an important element to any commission as it helps you gauge what your client is both already has / is expecting. The questionnaire is used as part of an ongoing and is the reference point to the starts of design work. I personally take the approach that: when it comes to the questionnaire, one size fits all – this way you have something to measure all of you work against.
Given the fact that I had not saved it, this meant one of two things: I could either try and blag it / remember what I had on there originally or, I could take the opportunity to do some research, and update my own ways of working (this also fell into place as I was required to send a questionnaire out to one of our new clients at Change This.
Below is the finished questionnaire:
About you / your current site:
- Do you currently have a website? What is the URL?
- Describe the purpose of the website (information – ecommerce etc.)
- What do you like most about your current website?
- Who is your target audience?
The Design of the new site:
- Please list below some examples of websites you have seen that you like the look of (between 3-5 examples will be plenty) Provide links if possible
- Where possible, note what it is you like about them (including features (menus/user interaction))
- Who are your competitors? List some of your competitors web site URLs.
- What do you like about your competitors websites? What do you dislike?
- Please list below some descriptive words to help me gauge the style of the website (e.g. modern, contemporary, fun, business, green, corporate, stylist)
- Where possible, please provide any promotional material you have that you would like the website to reference your current brand
- Do you need to be able to update the website on your own (using a content management system)?
- Please list below any specific colours you would like to use (colour names or RGB / hexidecimal codes where possible)
- Please attach your logo (if possible, please attach a high resolution version)
- Please attach any stock imagery you may have (if you have a desire for certain images on certain pages, please state so in reply)
General information regarding the design (and overall website):
- Name 3 things that are most important about the design of your new website
- Do you have any definite remarks on what you DON’T want to have on your website?(Flash, splash page, the colour pink?) Sharing why you don’t want a feature will help me get an understanding of your user experience tastes, so feel free to elaborate if appropriate.
POI – Points Of Interest
- Deadline, timing or exact date of completion for your website
- Do you have all images that you would like to be included in your website or would you like the designer to use imagery where appropriate?
- Do you already have a domain and hosting?
- If so, do you have the FTP and host log in information readily accessible?
As any designer will tell you: It is important to get as much good information as possible, as neither the designer or the client wants to be re-visiting the design tens of hundreds of times!
