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What should be in a web design spec?

  • 03-06-2010 11:46am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 6,464 ✭✭✭


    If I'm putting together a spec for advertising a web design job, what should I include in it?

    It's an e-commerce site, if that makes a difference.

    I'm thinking:
    - overall look and feel I'm trying to achieve
    - guide to preferred colours, if any
    - any font style preferences
    - a list of the various pages I'll need done, examples if possible of sites I like and don't like for each page
    - maybe a rough layout of how I envision each page? Or should I leave that to the designer?
    - might need a logo too, in which case I guess I'll need guidelines for that

    What should I be asking for in terms of deliverables? I should be able to do the CSS myself, so I'd really just be looking for screen mockups, and any images for buttons and icons. If I'm getting a logo, it'll be used in print as well as on the web, so I presume there's standard formats for that I should be asking for too?

    I figure if I put as much information as possible in at the start I'll save everyone time and myself money. Is there more I should be including?
    Or should I start off with a more general spec, and keep the detailed one for when I've decided on a designer?

    Thanks for any suggestions.


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 742 ✭✭✭Pixelcraft


    Are you doing the CSS & backend? If you're not coding the whole site, I actually think doing the css yourself will be more of a hinderance than help. If you're coding the site then you really just have to worry about the brief, just detail how exactly you're going to build it.

    Many companies have their own brief guidelines, some designers ask certain questions other's don't, so best to ask whoever you go with.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,464 ✭✭✭MOH


    It's my own site, based on Magento and I've played around with the default .css files quite a lot so I've a fair idea what's relevant to each screen element.
    Unless I get a designer with Magento experience, I'd probably save time and money doing it myself.


  • Registered Users Posts: 455 ✭✭nellyshark


    I think you should let the designer look after all aspects of the design tbh. Are you looking to get someone to create a mockup and you code it then?


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,464 ✭✭✭MOH


    nellyshark wrote: »
    I think you should let the designer look after all aspects of the design tbh. Are you looking to get someone to create a mockup and you code it then?

    Well that's what I was thinking.

    My problem is that the css selectors are obviously going to need to match what Magento produces, so unless the designer is familiar with Magento either:

    a) I get css delivered and then have to go through it and map everything to Magento's structure, which is a pain but I'm fairly familiar with it; or
    b) I give them the standard Magento stylesheet and they do the whole design based on it, which is a pain for them and hence more expensive for me :)

    Just seemed to make more sense to get the mockups done and then code it myself?


  • Registered Users Posts: 455 ✭✭nellyshark


    I think if you actively go looking for someone well versed in Magento design then it won't be much of a problem tbh


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