A statement of purpose in a web development project is a short summary of the goals that a client would like to accomplish. It should also describe how the website would look and how it will function.
A statement of purpose for a web development project is what a mission statement is for an organisation. After you talk to the client and get clarity on their goals, functions, look, and feel of the website, use the answers to create a statement of purpose.
Having a statement of purpose is critically important because there is no such thing as one perfect website for all kinds of businesses or organisations. All website development projects are situational, meaning that it needs to be tailored to the needs, wants and budget of every individual client. For example, a website for a real estate agent who wants to use it to market properties and build credibility in the marketplace will be very different from a nonprofit that places animals in foster homes.
After you discuss goals with the future owner of the website, you can understand whether the website needs to attract new customers, serve as a customer service portal, have a blog, sell services, provide access to financial data, or a combination of the things described above.
After you have all the information, you simply need to boil it down to a short and concise statement of purpose. Here is an example of such a statement:
The website is meant for a solo business consultant. Its goal is to market the services provided by the consultant to a wider audience of prospects. The website also needs to convey the legitimacy and authority of the consultant. It needs to offer a product for free and generate leads via an opt-in form.
When you create a statement like this, you significantly increase your chances of succeeding in your project because now, you and the client are on the same page as to what the website will help achieve.