How to Plan a Website Before Design Begins

Define the business outcome

Decide what the website must help the organisation achieve: generate enquiries, explain services, support customers, publish public information, accept applications or sell products.

Identify priority users

List the people who will use the website and the questions each group needs answered. This prevents internal organisational structure from becoming the only navigation logic.

Confirm content ownership

Assign responsibility for writing, reviewing and approving every major page. Content delays are one of the most common reasons website projects miss deadlines.

List required functionality

Document forms, search, booking, payment, multilingual content, downloads, integrations and any restricted areas before design begins.

Agree success measures

Choose practical measures such as qualified enquiries, applications, document downloads, appointment requests or completed purchases.