Topic 1: Sitting down with the client and figuring out the website aim
One of the most important things to do is to figure out what the client wants out of the website. You also need to figure out if what they want is realistically achievable. Looking at competitors’ websites can also help determine what are key aspects the website needs. This also means that you should have a good understanding of who the target audience is and how they would expect your website to function.
Topic 2: Site maps and wireframes
Site maps help to lay out all the information that is needed to go on the website and how it will be presented. Some designers will skip site maps but, they are an important step to simply the experience of the website. It also is important to make sure all elements needed like the logo are present in the site maps. This information you planned out in the site maps then, in turn, can be put into the wireframes.
Topic 3: Technology
Planning on the technological side is needed as well. Many sites nowadays are using more than still images and text. It is important to make sure where the website is hosted can handle that information. This has an impact on financial and the technology that is implemented. It is also important to figure out if the website will use data from other sources or just its own.