Before you build a web site
Be clear about what you want to achieve
When we are asked to build a web site, we start with a series of questions, collectively known as the Discovery Phase.
The purpose of these questions is to establish what you want your website to achieve and how that will be done.
Even if you are building your own site, and know your own business, it is still worth following our core principles of Define, Refine, Align, Design.
Time spent on planning and organising now will save you time and money in the future and speed up the build process.
What, Why, When, Where, Who, How and How Much?
Also known by the abbreviation 3Ws and 1H, we also add How Much to the equation because building a web site involves a budget.
- What should your web site achieve?
- Why would clients or customers choose you or your business?
- When does the site need to go live?
- Where is your business located?
- Who are you?
- How will your site be built?
- How Much will it cost?
The above, by the way, are only examples….
A Familiar Process
We organise information this way all the time without even realising it when we create shopping lists or make travel plans for example. On a larger scale, wedding plans or moving house would be cases where we use those same skills. We break the web site creation process down into actionable steps with guides and checklists. You are welcome to use our guides to build your own web site or even to build sites for other people.
Define, Refine, Align, Design
Our four elements of planning use a series of questions to define what your project brief to us is. We then further refine that, through dialogue with you, which examines risks and opportunities that might have been overlooked. Once the aims of the project are fully aligned with the resources available to achieve it, we progress to the design.
- Defining what you want helps ensure you get what you want.
- Refinement of that definition brings clarity, reduces risk and removes ambiguity.
- Aligning the refined definition with available resources improves the chances that the project will go smoothly.
In contrast, poorly defined, refined or aligned projects frequently lead to misunderstandings which can quickly descend into friction and project-creep.
Less Friction, More Traction
The processes we use are designed to make your life easier, save you money, and get your site built is the fastest possible time. Not everybody likes check lists, answering questions, and getting the necessary assets together. We understand that which is why we work in a way which places as little demand on you as possible.
That same principle applies when designing how visitors use your site, making it easy to navigate, use and understand. It is also implemented in the back-end administration area and in the general management processes. Our aim is to make life easier all round for all involved.
