Guide · 202637 pages8 chaptersFree PDF
Procurement of Website
From preparations and requirements specification to technology, marketing, and choice of partner.
- The Requirements Specification Ten areas to cover
- Checklist Four parts to check off
- E-commerce What makes the project bigger
About the guide
The procurement determines if the new website will be successful. The guide provides those procuring a website with a perspective from the agency side: which parts are often missed in the first contact between the client and the web agency, and how to avoid misunderstandings, cost increases, and delays.
The chapters follow the project's progress, from purpose, goals, and competitor analysis to requirements specification, choice of CMS, design, accessibility, hosting, security, GDPR, SEO, and measurement. The guide concludes with how to choose a web agency and what the management agreement should cover.
Two checklists you can use directly: one for the requirements specification's ten areas and one for the seven areas you need to consider if the website should have e-commerce.
For you who
- are procuring a new website, in the public or private sector
- are writing the requirements specification and want to ensure nothing important is missing
- are comparing bids from web agencies
From the guide
- 10 areas
- that the requirements specification should cover, from purpose and goals to management
- 99.9 %
- common level for guaranteed uptime, just under nine hours of downtime per year
- 85 out of 100
- example of target level in Google PageSpeed Insights to include in the requirements
- 7 areas
- to consider if the website should have e-commerce
Contents
- Chapter 01
Preparations for Procurement
Purpose and measurable goals, competitor analysis, and an inventory of what already works on your current website.
- Chapter 02
The Requirements Specification
What it should contain and why. A checklist in four parts covering ten areas, from functionality and design to legal and management.
- Chapter 03
Choice of CMS
Traditional or headless, the questions to ask yourselves and six common platforms with strengths and considerations.
- Chapter 04
Design and User Experience
Graphic profile, imagery style, and tone of voice before the design phase, and whether WCAG should be a requirement or a wish.
- Chapter 05
Technical Specifications
Hosting, uptime, server location, security, GDPR, cookies, performance, and backup. The requirements that determine how secure and fast the website will be.
- Chapter 06
Marketing and Conversion
SEO from the start, requirements that make advertising convert, and which analytics tools should be in place.
- Chapter 07
E-commerce and Special Features
Products, payment, customer accounts, and integrations, with a checklist of seven areas to specify requirements.
- Chapter 08
Web Partner and Long-term Management
How to choose an agency based on experience and working methods, and what the agreement should cover after launch: SLA, maintenance, and development capacity.
Frequently asked questions
What should a requirements specification for a new website contain?
The guide lists ten areas: purpose and goals, functionality, design and usability, SEO and performance, content strategy, analytics tools and tracking, timeline and budget, legal requirements, internal project organization, and management and support.
When should we choose a CMS?
Not too early. Start from function, content, and target audience, so it becomes clear which system fits. Feel free to involve technical resources or the web agency early in the choice.
How do we choose the right web agency?
Look at experience, working methods, and ability to deliver in your context, not just price and design proposals. Ask for references from projects with similar scope and feel free to speak directly with previous clients.
What should the management agreement cover?
Response times and action times in an SLA, ongoing updates for security and performance, capacity for further development, and a partner who proactively suggests improvements.
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Procurement of Website