Free Website Planning Questionnaire: Prepare for Your Web Design Project Like a Pro
Introduction
This comprehensive, fillable PDF website planning questionnaire will help you organize your thoughts, define your goals, and prepare essential assets before meeting with a web designer, helping you avoid costly miscommunication.
Your Website Planning Questionnaire (PDF)
Whether you are launching your first business website or preparing for a redesign, this web design onboarding questionnaire will help:
- Small business owners and solopreneurs
- Service-based businesses (like cafes, fitness studios, and retailers)
- Entrepreneurs planning to hire a freelance designer or agency
- Anyone feeling unsure about what questions to ask before hiring a web designer
Why This Web Design Planning Template Works
Many website projects fall flat due to unclear expectations or misaligned goals between clients and designers.
This free website design brief template helps you:
- Clarify the goals you have for your website
- Think through your audience, functionality, and brand style
- Identify and prepare the assets you will need before starting your project
- Save time and money by avoiding miscommunication and changes later
What’s Inside This Web Design Onboarding Questionnaire

This comprehensive, printable, and fillable website project brief template includes questions and checklists to guide you through:
- Identifying and describing your business goals and target audience
- Communicating your visual preferences and branding direction
- Establishing your content needs and required functionality
- Thinking about budget and timeline considerations
How to Prepare to Meet with a Web Designer
- Download the website planning questionnaire (PDF)
- Fill out this pre-web design planning guide before meeting a designer or agency
- Bring your completed website design brief template to your consultation
- Use your answers to streamline the process and ensure you get accurate estimates
I use this web design onboarding questionnaire with my clients. It’s practical, free of fluff, and focused on getting you the results you want.
Essential Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Web Designer
Before you decide to hire a web designer for your small business website, consider asking the following questions. The answers they provide will help you determine whether or not they are the right designer for your project.
- Find out if your designer is organized and professional by asking them, “What’s your design and development process?”
- You can potentially avoid surprises and hidden costs by asking, “What exactly will you include in your quote?”
- Learn how your designer plans to adapt to any changes you want to make to your website by asking, “How do you handle revisions and feedback?”
- Prepare for the inevitable bugs and maintenance concerns that go along with owning a website by asking, “What support do you provide after launch?”
- Uncover your designer’s approach to custom website design by asking, “How do you learn about my business and audience?”
For a full list of questions to ask along with explanations and tips, be sure to read 9 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Web Designer (+ Free Questionnaire).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use this website design brief template for a DIY website?
Definitely! This pre-web design planning guide is perfect for helping you plan to build a website yourself using DIY tools.
Is an email required to get this website project brief template?
Nope. The download is instant.
Can I use this onboarding questionnaire for more than one project?
Absolutely. This website planning questionnaire is flexible enough for any web design and/or development project.
What questions should I ask before hiring a web designer?
This questionnaire covers the essentials of planning and preparation for when you decide to speak with a designer. I discuss specific questions to ask web designers during an interview or consultation in my article 9 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Web Designer.
Are You Ready to Meet with a Web Designer?
Schedule a free 30-minute consultation, and I’ll help you create a website project brief that makes sense for where you’re at now, and where you want to go.
Just want to ask a question about design planning? Contact me