Project planning
What to Prepare Before a Website Project
A clear brief makes the first conversation useful. You do not need to know a programming language; you need to explain the business task, what already exists and which decisions still need help.
Describe the job the website should do
Choose the main action you want a visitor to take: enquire, view a catalog, place an order or book a service. Identify who the visitor is and what they need to know before acting. “A modern website” is a visual preference; “a customer can find the right service and send its details” is a task that can be designed and tested.
Gather what already exists
Prepare logo files, brand colours, business descriptions, contact details and available photography. List the pages and products that need new content. Confirm who can access the domain and hosting; keep passwords in a private handover rather than attaching them to public project documents.
Separate essentials from later ideas
Write the features needed for the first launch and a second list for later improvements. Describe each integration by the task it supports. This makes tradeoffs clearer when matching scope to time and budget. The first version should complete the main business journey before adding optional effects or tools.
Use references to explain a preference
When sharing a reference, say which part you like: the typography, project presentation, menu or the way a service is explained. Your own content and brand still need an original layout. Label concept references separately from production requirements so a dramatic mockup does not become an unintended promise of a complex feature.
Agree who reviews and approves
Name the person who approves the content and design. Collect feedback into one list and review it against the agreed scope. Before launch, confirm account access, editable content and the handover format. These decisions reduce confusion more effectively than adding extra meetings without a clear owner.
Your takeaway checklist
- Main visitor and action
- Content, brand assets and languages
- Essential features and later options
- Hosting access and account ownership
- Reviewer, scope and handover