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Website specification: a template and checklist for clients
Why the client needs a specification, what sections it contains and the most common mistakes. At the end, a 12-point template you can fill in yourself.
A website specification (technical brief) is a document that describes what the site should be: who it is for, what sections it has, what it does and what it connects to. Many people think the specification is the developer's job, but above all it protects the client: it is the basis for the price, for accepting the work and for settling disputes. Here is what to include, the most common mistakes and a template you can fill in yourself.
Why the client needs a specification
- Accurate estimate. Without one, a studio guesses the price and adds a margin for risk. With one, you see what you are paying for.
- Comparing contractors. Send the same specification to several studios and compare like with like.
- Accepting the work. Delivery becomes a check against the specification, not an argument about what was meant.
- Fewer extra charges. Features remembered at the end usually cost more than ones planned from the start.
What a website specification contains
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| Goal | The result you need: leads, sales, information, hiring. How you will know the site works |
| Audience | Who will use the site, on which devices, in which languages |
| Structure | List of sections and pages, ideally drawn as a tree |
| Features | Forms, catalogue, filters, cart, payments, user accounts, search, calculators |
| Integrations | 1C, CRM, payment services, Telegram bot, maps, analytics |
| Content | Who prepares texts, photos and translations, how many products or pages at launch |
| Languages | Russian, Uzbek (Latin or Cyrillic), English. Are all sections translated |
| Design | Brand identity, sites you like and dislike, and what exactly about them |
| Admin | What staff will edit themselves and how many roles with different rights are needed |
| Technical requirements | Hosting, domain, SSL, speed, backups, security requirements |
| Timeline and acceptance | Target launch date, stages and who on your side approves the work |
You do not have to fill in everything. The goal, audience, rough structure and feature list are enough; the studio will clarify the rest during the briefing.
Common mistakes
- "Like our competitor's, only better." A link to another site helps, but say what exactly you like: structure, catalogue, filters or design.
- No priorities. Mark what is needed for launch and what can come later. The site will launch sooner and cost less.
- Content forgotten. The site is ready but there are no texts or photos — a common reason launches slip.
- Languages "later". Adding Uzbek and English versions after launch is harder than building them into the structure from the start.
- Vague integrations. "Connect to 1C" means a dozen questions: which data, in which direction, how often. At least list what should be transferred.
- No single decision-maker. If five people send conflicting feedback, deadlines grow. Appoint one person to approve the work.
Specification template
Copy the list into a document and answer each point. Short answers are better than blanks.
- The company and what it does, in 2–3 sentences.
- The site's goal and main target action (enquiry, call, purchase).
- Who the customers are and where they will come from (search, ads, social media, QR code).
- Site languages.
- List of sections and pages.
- Required features, marked "for launch" or "later".
- Systems to connect: 1C, CRM, payments, Telegram.
- Existing content: texts, photos, logo, brand identity.
- Three sites you like and what exactly you like about them.
- Who will update the site and what they will update.
- Do you already have a domain and hosting.
- Target launch date and the responsible person on your side.
For complex sites — with user accounts, booking or non-standard logic — it is better to write the detailed specification together with the studio. For such projects we prepare the specification at the first stage: we map the processes, describe the scenarios and estimate timeline and cost.
FAQ
Who should write the specification?
The client defines the task and requirements, because they know their business and customers. The studio helps describe the technical part: integrations, platform, hosting requirements. The best option is a brief from the client and a specification the studio writes after discussing it.
Can I order a site without a specification?
For a simple business card site or landing page, a brief is enough. For an online store, a corporate site or a web service, it is hard to estimate cost and timeline accurately without one.
Can the specification change during the project?
Yes, but agree changes in writing, together with their effect on timeline and cost. New features are often best moved to a second stage after launch.
Describe your task in a few lines — we will help turn it into a specification and send a free estimate. More: website development in Tashkent, websites with non-standard solutions and websites for government institutions.
Further reading: How much does a website cost in Tashkent in 2026; How to choose a web studio in Tashkent: 12 questions.
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