Building - Developing the website - The technical specifications exercise

This is a vital stage in the development of the website. It is when the web developer and you collaborate to finalise the exact nature of the website you want built and the technical solutions required to deliver it. You articulated your requirements in the Development Brief and the web developer will have proposed technical solutions in their submission, but neither of you have had the benefit of collaborative and mutual decision-making. The technical specifications stage brings both parties together to share expertise and experiences so as to establish exactly what is and what is not possible, given the people, time and budget.  

This is not to say that the technical specifications stage will result in a totally different website to that envisaged in the Development Brief and for which you engaged the web developer. However, it is inevitable that there will be some changes to your initial vision for the site as you work through your wish list with the developer.  

The technical specifications stage should result in clearly defined: 

• technical solutions - eg authoring language, database solution, maintenance solution, web server and hosting requirements, security 
• scope and nature of the content
• functionality and interactivity on the site
• graphic and information design and navigation parameters and rules (but not the actual design itself)
• documentation and training deliverables
• costings of all aspects of construction and delivery of the website
• development and payment schedule for the project. 

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