SCD.Southern Consulting and DesignWebsite discoveryFROM FIRST IDEA TO FINAL DETAIL YOUR WEBSITE STARTS HEREA clear brief.A better website.Work through the questions with your customer. Capture the details once, from the header and menu to the final footer.12guided stepsone complete website brief Step 1 of 12Business & goals LET’S PLAN THE WEBSITEStart with the businessCapture who the client serves, what makes them different, and what the website needs to accomplish.Business nameRequiredIndustry or business typeCustomer contactRequiredSCD team memberRequiredCustomer contact emailFor project communication. Public website email is collected separately.Customer contact phoneWho approves the design and content?Requested launch dateProject budget or agreed scopeContent readinessNot confirmedReady to useSome content is readyNeeds writing and photographyWhat does the business do?RequiredWho is the website for?RequiredInclude location, needs, and what matters to the ideal customer.Why would someone choose this business?Main website goalRecommend / not decidedGenerate inquiriesBook appointmentsSell productsShare informationBuild credibilityRegister for programsMain button wordingMain button destinationPublic email addressPublic phone numberAddress or service areaBusiness hoursWebsite domainWebsite copyRecommend / not decidedDraft from the collected informationUse supplied copy exactlyAdditional context and words to avoid LET’S PLAN THE WEBSITESet the design directionThese choices guide every page, including typography, spacing, buttons, and imagery.Who should choose the visual details?Recommend based on the business and referencesUse the customer specifications belowOverall design styleRecommend / not decidedClean and modernEditorial and expressivePremium and refinedBold and energeticFriendly and playfulTraditional and trustworthyHow should people feel?Primary brand colorOptional. Leave blank for a recommendation based on the brand and references.Accent colorOptional. Leave blank for a recommendation based on the brand and references.Page backgroundOptional. Leave blank for a recommendation based on the brand and references.Text colorOptional. Leave blank for a recommendation based on the brand and references.Heading fontRecommend / not decidedModern sans serifElegant serifBold condensedRounded sans serifUse specified brand fontBody fontRecommend / not decidedReadable sans serifClassic serifUse specified brand fontSpecific fonts and licensing notesExact font names and a hosted font URL, if available.Layout spacingRecommend / not decidedGenerous and airyBalancedCompact and information-richButtons and card cornersRecommend / not decidedSubtly roundedSquareVery roundedPill-shaped buttonsPhotography directionRecommend / not decidedNatural and authenticBright and polishedMoody and dramaticMinimal and architecturalIllustration-ledMotionRecommend / not decidedSubtle and restrainedNo animationExpressive with reduced-motion supportBrand rules and visual detailsLogo versions, favicon and brand filesUpload files in Photos & assets. List a preferred light/dark logo and favicon. LET’S PLAN THE WEBSITEBuild the header and menuDefine the desktop header, navigation structure, and the actions visitors should see first.Header approachRecommend / not decidedStyle the native Squarespace headerCustom header inside page codeLogo positionRecommend / not decidedLeftCenteredSplit navigation around logoLogo widthRecommend / not decidedSmall: about 120 pxMedium: about 170 pxLarge: about 220 pxMenu placementRecommend / not decidedRight of logoCenteredBelow logoHeader behaviorRecommend / not decidedSticky while scrollingStaticHide on scroll, return on scroll upHeader backgroundRecommend / not decidedSolid backgroundTransparent over the heroTransparent, then solid on scrollHeader button wordingHeader button destinationAnnouncement barNot decidedYesNoAnnouncement wordingAnnouncement destinationShow social links in the headerNot decidedYesNoDropdowns and special menu behaviorMenu order and parent folders are set in Pages & content. LET’S PLAN THE WEBSITEPlan each pageAdd every page. Put them in menu order, then describe each page and the order of its sections.One card per page. Section order is entered from top to bottom, for example: Hero, Services, Testimonials, FAQ, Contact. Blog, store and booking pages can use native Squarespace features.+ Add a page LET’S PLAN THE WEBSITEDesign the first impressionChoose the visual hierarchy and how the opening section introduces the business.Hero layoutRecommend / not decidedText beside an imageFull-width background imageCentered text with image belowLarge typography with minimal imageryAsymmetric editorial layoutHero heightRecommend / not decidedBalanced: about 70vhFull screenCompactText alignmentRecommend / not decidedLeftCenteredRightShort line above the main headlineHomepage headlineHomepage supporting copySecondary button wordingSecondary button destinationImage overlayRecommend / not decidedLight overlayDark overlayNo overlayGradient overlayContent widthRecommend / not decidedWide: about 1280 pxStandard: about 1120 pxNarrow: about 960 pxContent cardsRecommend / not decidedMinimal with fine bordersSoft shadowImage-ledColor-blockedText onlyBetween sectionsRecommend / not decidedClean spacingAlternating backgroundsFine divider linesAngled or curved transitionsHero and layout details LET’S PLAN THE WEBSITEConnect the useful featuresRecord what needs to work, including forms, booking, galleries, and existing services.Needed website featuresContact formAppointment bookingPhoto galleryTestimonialsFAQ accordionPricing tableBlogOnline storeMapNewsletter signupProgram registrationSearchMembers-only contentDownloadable resourcesVideoMultilingual contentForm handlingRecommend / not decidedNative Squarespace Form BlockExisting external form endpointNo formsForm fields and required answersExisting form endpointExternal services only. Never enter an API key.Form confirmation messageBooking or registration linkProducts, payments, and commerce needsNative Squarespace commerce remains responsible for checkout.Social account linksOther integrations and supplied embed codeList provider and purpose. Omit credentials.Interactive behavior and feature detailsWhich pages use each feature?Include behavior, provider, required fields, destinations and any confirmation messages.Approved testimonials, customer names and attributionNewsletter provider, signup destination and consent wordingAnalytics, advertising tags or cookie preferencesRecord approved providers and public measurement IDs only. Do not enter account credentials.Commerce setup detailsProducts, variants, pricing, shipping areas, tax setup, payment provider, inventory and fulfillment. Record requirements; keep account and payment credentials outside this form. LET’S PLAN THE WEBSITEFinish with a useful footerDecide what visitors need at the bottom of every page and how the site should close.Footer approachRecommend / not decidedCustom footer Code BlockStyle the native Squarespace footerFooter layoutRecommend / not decidedThree columnsFour columnsMinimal single rowLarge call to action above columnsFooter backgroundRecommend / not decidedDarkLightPrimary brand colorShort footer descriptionFooter call to actionFooter call to action destinationShow contact informationNot decidedYesNoShow social linksNot decidedYesNoNewsletter areaNot decidedYesNoCopyright wordingPrivacy and other legal linksSupply page destinations; legal copy is not invented.Back-to-top controlNot decidedYesNoFooter details LET’S PLAN THE WEBSITEMake every screen workSet the mobile layout and any special accessibility needs. Basic accessibility is included in every build.Mobile navigationRecommend / not decidedSlide-in panelFull-screen menuSimple dropdownMobile logo positionRecommend / not decidedLeftCenteredMobile hero orderRecommend / not decidedText first, image secondImage first, text secondText over background imageMobile primary actionRecommend / not decidedWithin page contentSticky bottom buttonHeader buttonTap-to-call buttonMobile content spacingRecommend / not decidedComfortable and spaciousCompactAccessibility prioritiesKeyboard navigationVisible focus statesReadable contrastReduced motionScreen-reader labelsGenerous touch targetsDevice-specific requirements LET’S PLAN THE WEBSITECollect photographs and logosAttach photos, logos, screenshots and copy documents. Match each file to a page and explain its purpose.Upload photos, logos, reference screenshots or documentsJPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, SVG, PDF, DOCX or TXT. Up to 20 files, 10 MB each, 50 MB total. Choose another batch to add more.Files are sent when you submit. A downloaded draft includes file descriptions, so reattach the original files when reopening it.Photo permissions and creditsConfirm supplied assets are authorized for website use. Include photographer credits and any restrictions.Missing photos or other assets to obtainLinks to copy documents, shared folders or existing mediaUse full URLs. Ensure the build team can access them. LET’S PLAN THE WEBSITEUnderstand the referencesAttach links and explain what the client likes. Add screenshots in Photos & assets for reliable visual guidance.Tell us which parts you like: the header, menu, colors, typography, page layout, motion or footer. Add screenshots in Photos & assets when you want a specific visual detail carried through.+ Add an example website LET’S PLAN THE WEBSITEPrepare the Squarespace buildConfirm the Squarespace setup, search details, launch requirements and handoff.Squarespace versionNot confirmed7.17.0Squarespace planCore / Plus / AdvancedLegacy Business / CommerceBasic / PersonalNot confirmedPage implementationRecommend / not decidedCustom HTML pages with shared CSS and JavaScriptNative Squarespace sections with custom stylingExisting Squarespace URLExisting CSS, scripts, or conflicts to preserveHomepage SEO titleHomepage SEO descriptionServices and locations to reflect in the copyStructured dataRecommend / not decidedNoneOrganizationLocalBusinessFinal instructions and non-negotiablesDomain registrar and person who manages DNSRecord the provider and contact only.Squarespace site owner and employee contributor access statusInvite collaborators through Squarespace. Do not enter passwords.Pages, content and old URLs to migrateInclude redirects, existing rankings, external links and anything that must be preserved.Privacy, terms and other legal contentList supplied or pending documents and who is responsible for approval.Handoff, training and ongoing maintenanceHow will we know the site is ready to launch?Include approval, form delivery, mobile review, link checks and any other agreed requirements. THE COMPLETE BRIEFReview and send the website briefReview the answers, save a copy, and send the complete intake to SCD.Download website briefCopy ChatGPT promptThe prompt includes the answers and instructions to produce Squarespace HTML, CSS, JavaScript and installation steps. Attach the photos and reference screenshots to your ChatGPT conversation too.I have reviewed the brief and have permission to send these answers and attachments to SCD through Basin.Submitting sends this intake to SCD. Your team uses the brief in ChatGPT to create and review the site code.Send website briefYou will see Basin’s confirmation after a successful submission. BackOnly fields marked Required must be completed.Continue → Need to finish later?Download a draft. Your answers are not automatically saved.Save draftOpen draft Enable JavaScript to use the step-by-step form, manage attachments and submit your brief.
