What to prepare before you ask for a website or app quote

When you ask a developer for a quote, the most useful thing you can give them is clarity. The more clearly you can describe what you want to achieve, the more accurate the quote will be, and the less likely it is that you will meet unwelcome surprises halfway through the project.

You do not need a perfect specification. Nobody expects that, and a good developer will help you shape your ideas. But a little thinking beforehand makes the first conversation far more productive. Here is what is worth preparing.

Start with the problem, not the solution

Many enquiries begin with a solution: “I need a website with a booking system” or “I want an app like that one”. It is better to begin with the problem behind it. Are customers struggling to find your opening hours? Are you losing time to manual spreadsheets? Do you want more enquiries from people searching online?

When the problem is clear, a developer can suggest the simplest thing that solves it. Sometimes that is exactly what you had in mind. Sometimes it is something smaller and cheaper, and occasionally it is something quite different.

Know who it is for

Write down who will use the website or app. Customers, staff, suppliers and members of the public all need different things. If you can describe two or three typical users and what each wants to do, you have the foundation of a good design. Think about how they will reach it too: on a phone while out and about, or at a desk with time to read.

Gather examples you like and dislike

Collect a handful of websites or apps that you admire, and a few that you do not. Note what you like about each: the layout, the tone, how easy it is to find things. Examples are a quick way to communicate taste, and they help avoid the awkward moment when a finished design is technically correct but not at all what you pictured.

Separate the must-haves from the nice-to-haves

Make a simple list of what the project needs to do on day one, and a second list of things that would be good to add later. This is one of the most valuable things you can do, because it lets you launch sooner and spend your budget where it matters.

• Must-haves: the features without which the project has no point.
• Should-haves: important, but the launch could go ahead without them.
• Nice-to-haves: ideas for later, once the basics are working and you have feedback from real users.

Think about content early

Text, photographs, logos and product details are often the slowest part of a project, and they are usually the client’s responsibility. Ask yourself who will write the words, where the images will come from, and whether you have the right to use them. If you have an existing website, a list of the pages you want to keep is a good starting point.

Do not worry if the content is not ready when you ask for a quote. Just be honest about it, so that the timeline can allow for it.

List the systems it needs to connect to

Does the new website or app need to work with something you already use, such as an accounting package, a booking tool, a stock system or a mailing list? Integrations can add real complexity, so mention them at the start. If you are not sure whether something can be connected, say so and ask.

Be open about budget and timing

It can feel awkward to talk about money, but a rough budget range helps a developer recommend options that fit. Without one, you may receive a quote for something far larger than you need, or a proposal that cuts corners to meet a number you never mentioned. In the same way, if there is a date you need to hit, such as an event, a campaign or a funding deadline, say so early.

Decide who makes the decisions

Projects slow down when feedback arrives from five different people who disagree. Choose one person who can give the final answer, and make sure anyone else who needs a say is involved early. It saves time and keeps costs down.

A quick checklist

If you can answer most of these questions, you are ready to ask for a quote:

1. What problem are we trying to solve?
2. Who will use it, and on what devices?
3. Which features must be there at launch?
4. Do we have examples of things we like?
5. Who is providing the content, and when?
6. What does it need to connect to?
7. What is our rough budget and our ideal timeline?
8. Who has the final say?

Whatever state your thinking is in, get in touch anyway. A short conversation can quickly turn a vague idea into a clear brief, and a written quote that sets out exactly what you are getting is the best way to start a project with confidence.