Summary 1

Planning a site before it's creation is essential.

It is super important when working with a client, for everyone to be on the same page. Having a general sense of what everyone involved wants and what defines a successful website for them is key. Doing a competitor analysis during this stage is also helpful.

Site maps are the next extra important step.

Site maps are used to plan navigation for the webpage. Without site maps, sites tend to breakdown and lose workability at the third level or later. In the end, site maps help to breakdown and plan out the user experience.

The planning for a new website can be broken down into a five step checklist.

The client is first, meaning it is important to work with them closely to make sure their needs are being met. Second is the users, because in the end that is who will be operating the site, so making it with them in mind is essential. Next is the budget, which will be an interal part of decision making. Fourth is, the technology, as it is key to focus on accesability, which contributes to the usability of the website. And finally, the future, meaning it is important to build a website with the future in mind, including growth and evolution.