Website Questionnaire Questions That Shape a Build
A website questionnaire should leave you with a proposed page scope and a list of decisions to resolve. Asking what colors the client likes will not establish who writes the content, which existing pages must survive, or what has to work on launch day.
Questions to ask before designing
Scroll sideways to read all three columns.
| Question | Useful answer | What to do with it |
|---|---|---|
| What should a visitor accomplish? | A task such as comparing services or requesting a consultation. | Map the task to a page and its primary action. |
| Which audiences have different needs? | New customers need explanations; returning customers need support. | Separate journeys instead of adding everything to the homepage. |
| Which pages and functions are needed in phase one? | A prioritized list with owner and purpose. | Separate launch scope from later ideas. |
| Who supplies and approves each page's content? | A named writer, asset owner and approver. | Create a content dependency list. |
| What must carry over from the current site? | Important URLs, documents, integrations and existing content. | Give the delivery team a preservation review task. |
| What makes the date important? | An event or other dependency, with a fallback if content is late. | Plan the smallest viable launch with the client. |
| Which language, access or device needs should shape the design? | Specific audience situations, not ‘works for everyone.’ | Turn those needs into review scenarios. |
Treat new sites and redesigns differently
For a new site, there may be no current URL to supply. Use a branch so the client can skip that field while still explaining their audience and goals. A redesign needs a review of what already works and what the client wants to change; collecting a URL is only the start.
Ask the owner to identify pages and assets that matter before the team retires anything. Record who will handle URL mapping and review any redirects through the project's normal technical process. The questionnaire captures requirements; it does not perform a migration or establish that a proposed technical change is correct.
Illustrative scope worksheet: a small consultancy
Scroll sideways to read all three columns.
| Page or feature | Purpose and dependency | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Services overview | Helps visitors choose a service; copy owner has a draft. | Include in phase one after the director reviews it. |
| Three case studies | Needs client permission and approved results. | Launch with the one approved case; track the other two separately. |
| Resource library | No editor or initial content is assigned. | Discuss a later phase rather than promising it at kickoff. |
| Consultation request | Needs a receiving team and tested confirmation wording. | Agree the follow-up owner before launch. |
Review contradictions instead of averaging them
A client may ask for a minimal homepage and also request a link to every department. Put those answers next to the visitor task and agree a priority. Do not solve the conflict by squeezing all departments into equally prominent cards.
Likewise, ‘launch next month’ and ‘we have not assigned a writer’ describe a dependency, not a design preference. Your follow-up should name the missing content, its owner and the date needed for review. Keep the original answer so the team can see why the scope changed.
What should exist after the review?
- A launch page list with a purpose for each page.
- Named content, asset and final-approval owners.
- A list of current material to preserve or investigate.
- An agreed method for testing key visitor tasks.
- Open decisions with owners, rather than silently assumed answers.
Put the guide into practice
Define a website's goals, page scope, content ownership and launch requirements before design begins.
Collect one page's copy, image links, approval state and content owner for a website build.
Package final deliverables, transfer responsibilities, outstanding work and training needs into a client handoff record.
Questions people ask
Should clients provide wireframes?
Only if they already have them and you intend to review them as input. Most clients can describe visitor tasks and priorities more reliably than a finished interface.
Can this replace a kickoff meeting?
It can prepare the meeting. Contradictory scope, missing owners and technical dependencies still need discussion.
Should I create a separate redesign form?
Use a separate form only when its decisions differ substantially. A current-site branch and redesign guidance can often serve both projects without duplicating the whole questionnaire.
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