Plan the Perfect Site

Topic 1 - Planning is an important step and should be considered.

Start with talking with your client about what they want their site to be. Research similar websites to gain an idea of what they did and did not do. Make sure you know who the target audience is because it cannot be “everyone.” Involve the target audience in the production process by setting up interviews and focus groups to gain insight into what they want to see for the end result.

Topic 2 - Do not start coding right out of the gate.

Before you start coding you should make a sitemap. The sitemap helps in planning the layout of the final website. A sitemap can show you each “level” of the website. When a user clicks on the about page where does it take them, this can be planned out in a sitemap. The sitemap helps with bad navigation especially when a person gets 5 or 6 levels deep into a website.

Topic 3 - Design with a wireframe.

A wireframe is a sketch of what the final website will look like. A wireframe is made of sketches but with the right software, it can become interactable. An interactable wireframe can help the clients visualize the end result better than just static pictures. This can also help with usability studies. A high-quality wireframe can be given to the target audience and tested out before any real coding is done.