Summary 1

Plan The Perfect Site

Topic 1 - Getting Started

Creating a website is a collaboration between the client and the designer, determining the site's objectives together so a common vision can be built. A good way to nail down a design is to check out other sites that serve similar purposes or are housed in the same industry. This is the most important part of the process, as conflicting ideas and bad coordination can lead to an undesirable result that deviates from the initial goal.

Topic 2 - Site Maps

Site maps are sometimes downplayed by designers when creating plans for websites, as some consider them to be unnecessary and sometimes even inefficient, as they believe that websites are becoming to complicated for maps to properly display. Site maps are layouts of a website's structure as it moves from page to page, and for sites with a multitude of pages, yes, it could be a relative waste of time. But it is important to make at least some use of this strategy, as it helps when avoiding bad navigation structure in websites.

Topic 3 - Planning Checklist

There are several different aspects of website planning that need to be addressed, starting with keeping the client actively involved in the creation process to keep the vision intact. In addition, users are important to consider in how they will use and interpret the website, and keeping budget in mind so you know how much your services will cost, and what the client can afford from you. The limitations of the technology that is being used for the site and what it's housed on, and finally, preparing for anything that may be needed or or features that could be added in the future are just as important.