In this initial stage, the designer needs to identify the end goal of the website design, usually in close collaboration with the client or other stakeholders.

Questions to explore and answer in this stage of the design and website development process include:

• Who is the site for?

• What do they expect to find or do there?

• Is this website’s primary aim to inform, to sell (ecommerce, anyone?), or to amuse?

• Does the website need to clearly convey a brand’s core message, or is it part of a wider branding strategy with its own unique focus?

• What competitor sites, if any, exist, and how should this site be inspired by/different than, those competitors? What is your competitive advantage?

We know it’s easy to start off with one goal in mind, but this gradually expands, evolves, or changes altogether during the design process.

To avoid scope creep and miscommunication, we assess:

• Timeline visualization

• Budget range

• Features required or preferred

• Sitemap ideation

The next step is to find some design inspiration and build a mockup of the wireframe.

Sitemaps and wireframes provide a framework for storing the site’s visual design and content elements, and can help identify potential challenges and gaps with the sitemap.

This usually includes:

• How many pages there are

• What each page title is

• Which pages are shown on the navigation bar vs. hidden in links

• What pages link where

Now that we have a bigger picture of the site in mind, we can start creating content for the individual pages.

Here is where we figure out:

• What to write

• Where to write it

• How to properly “chunk” large pieces of information so it’s visually appealing

• What keywords are relevant to boost site visibility

Typically, you produce the bulk of the content and we give our expert recommendation on language, tone of voice, etc.

The brand is up to where you are in your business development.

Once we have an idea for the content, outline, and overall architecture of your site, we can determine what imagery best aligns with your brand.

We recommend our professional visual arts services, like lifestyle product photography, for a more authentic feel.

However, we offer the following:

• A fully stocked stock image library

• A fully stocked stock video library

• A font library

• Graphic design tools

Once everything's working beautifully, it's time to plan and execute your site launch!

This should include planning both launch timing and communication strategies — like:

• When will you launch?

• How will you let the world know?

• How will you handle updated content?