Every day, I receive requests that look like this: "Hello, I would like a quote for an Odoo website." That's it. No page, no clear idea, no functionality. And every time, I have to respond with the same thing: to give you a serious estimate, I need to know more. Not out of a desire to complicate things. Because without information, any figure would be a lie.
A website can cost next to nothing or require a lot of man-days. It all depends on what is included. And the only way to arrive at the right figure is to have a clear brief in advance. Here is what we expect from you, concretely, so that we can work together.
Why a brief, seriously.
A brief is not a 40-page specification document. It is not a legal document. It is simply a document that answers three simple questions: which pages, which functionalities, what content. From there, we can estimate the working time. And therefore the scope.
Without a brief, we go around in circles. We offer you an approximate quote, you ask us to add three things, we have to redo the quote, you change your mind, we have to redo it again. In the end, we have lost two weeks before even starting the project. And we have a quote that no longer reflects reality.
A project that drags on.
Approximate quote, endless back and forth, unclear scope. We lost two weeks before starting.
- No clear sitemap
- Functionalities mentioned in passing
- No visibility on the content
- References absent or too vague
A quote in 48 hours.
Fixed sitemap, described features, framed content, shared references. We estimate, we launch.
- Comprehensive sitemap
- Precise and quantifiable features
- Available or planned content
- 3 to 5 documented visual references
A good brief also helps to frame expectations. If you want 12 pages but your scope covers 6, it's better to know right away. We prefer to tell you « this is what we can do within this budget » rather than discovering the discrepancy along the way.
The sitemap, the list of your pages.
The sitemap is the comprehensive list of pages on your site. One page = one tab in your menu, or a page accessible from somewhere. No need for Figma or complicated diagrams. A simple bullet list is enough.
Here is a typical example for a showcase site:
- Home
- About (who we are, the team, the story)
- Services (main page + 3 detailed sub-pages)
- Projects (gallery of projects)
- Blog (list + article page)
- Contact (form + information)
This list is open to discussion. Often we remove pages, sometimes we group them. The idea is not to have a monstrous site: a good site has few pages but well done. If you are hesitating between two structures, let us know. We can discuss it.
The trap of the expanding sitemap
In every project, there is a temptation: to add a 'team' page, a 'values' page, a 'news' page, a 'partners' page. All these pages, taken individually, seem useful. Put together, they create a labyrinthine site that no one will read.
Our rule: if a page does not have a clear objective (to sell, reassure, convert, inform), it does not deserve to exist. Better to have a site with 6 dense pages than a site with 15 empty pages.
A web project without a brief, is like a journey without a destination. You can walk for a long time, you will get nowhere.
The functionalities, what needs to work.
Once the sitemap is established, we talk about the functionalities. This is everything that is not static content. Everything that requires development, configuration, or an Odoo module. For each functionality, the more precise you are, the more accurate the quote will be.
The most common functionalities we encounter are:
- Contact form. What fields? To which address? With or without an automatic response?
- Blog. How many articles at delivery? Categories? Multiple authors? Associated newsletter?
- E-commerce. How many products? Variants? Promotions? Payment methods? Delivery in Belgium or internationally?
- Recruitment. Odoo Jobs module? How many job postings displayed? Application form with CV upload?
- Events and ticketing. Odoo Events Module? Ticket sales? Free registration? Calendar?
- Multilingual. Which languages? All pages or just some? Translations provided or to be done?
"I want a blog", that's vague. "I want a blog with 2 categories, 8 articles at delivery, and a newsletter system linked to Mailchimp", that's quantifiable. Precision is what turns an intention into a project.
at WebNest, we do Odoo front-end. If you need complex business automations (advanced CRM, ERP, custom Python modules), we work with Odoo partners who handle the backend. Specify this in your brief, and we will guide you.
The content, who writes and who provides.
This is the question that hinders half of web projects. The site is ready, structurally. But the content is not there. No final texts, no photos, no logos in good definition. And the project waits, for weeks.
In your brief, clearly state:
- Who writes the texts? You? A copywriter? Should we recommend someone?
- Do you already have quality photos? If not, we work with a partner photographer.
- Do you have a logo in SVG or high definition?
- Do you have a graphic charter (colours, typography) or does it need to be created?
If you have none of this, that's fine. But we need to know, because we need to allocate time to take care of it. A site without content is not a site. It's a skeleton.
Our recommendation
Prepare the texts before signing the quote. Not the final polished version, but a rough version. This allows us to calibrate the length of the sections, the number of blocks, the rhythm of the site. And it avoids surprises when filling the pages.
The references, what it should look like.
An effective brief includes 3 to 5 reference sites. Not to copy them, but to help us understand your visual universe. This prevents us from presenting an art direction that has nothing to do with what you had in mind.
Good references are not necessarily competitors. They can be:
- A site whose typography you like
- A site whose colours you like
- A site whose animations you like
- A site whose homepage structure you like
For each reference, say what you like."I like the italic serif typography of the hero"is a hundred times more useful than"I like this site"We can then look for ways to translate these ingredients into your project, without imitation.
The checklist for the perfect brief.
If you check the points below, you will send us a brief that we can work on in two days. We will send you a precise quote, with a clear schedule, and we can start right away.
- The list of pages is finalised (sitemap).
- The main features are described.
- The organisation of the content is clear (who provides what).
- 3 to 5 visual references are shared with what we like.
- The desired deadline is mentioned.
- The languages of the site are confirmed.
- The Odoo access (or the need to create one) is established.
And what if I can't manage to create this brief?
This is a question we often hear. You are not used to framing a web project, and you don't quite know where to start. No problem. We can also assist you in the briefing phase. It's a half-day workshop (at your place or via video) where we go through the right questions together, and leave with a clear sitemap and a list of features.
In short: send us your brief, even if it's imperfect. We prefer to work with you to complete it, rather than sending you a fake quote. Our goal is that in the end, you have the website you really need. Not the one we guessed for you.