How to document website design/functional requirements?

What tools and/or best practices are you aware of that aid in documenting the design and fuctional requirements for a new website? I am not looking for web design apps or editors. I don't plan on building the site myself.

I have a concept for a website with medium-high complexity that needs to be documented so I can higher a web developer to create it. Basically, I need some clear and concise way to take whats in my head and document it. This would include basic things like overall appearance, user login/verification requirements, submission of user information and what to do with it, interaction of users with the site and other users, advertising, etc. It's a very interactive site and all those behaviors need to be documented.

There's nothing more frustrating than having ,what I think to be, a great idea and having trouble getting it realized.

You're help would be greatly appeciated!

Sincerely,

gasmonso

Anyone? I'm sure someone here has done a relatively complex website design.

gasmonso

 

I don't want to sound to simple, but everytime I have done something like this and had the idea in my head I find the simplest way to make it visual is to do a story board (like a film director would) and draw it down on paper.

Mark it down with a pencil stating what colors, links, logo, text box postions, advert locations, sizes, etc you need on the page and when you are happy with what you have try adding some color to it and see how it looks.

Simple and effective and I bet most web designers would do the same.

 

I agree. I usually do a complete site mock up either as static pages or as a powerpoint presentation showing the fields I want and what I want delivered by the application. It is critical that you draw these and the functions out. By doing this you will end up with a very clear idea of what you want. It forces you to think of problems and questions that the developer will have. It ends up with clear requirements that results in a cheaper better end product.

Good luck

 

Thanks for chiming in I guess I'll go back to the basics!

gasmonso