You can do many things to make the web design process go more smoothly and more quickly, long before you ever approach a designer. At Method Computer Technologies, we ask clients to answer this list of design questions, to help them articulate what they envision for their site:
Who is your audience (e.g., consumers, members, or professionals in your field)?
What is their average income? Educational status? Age? Would you say they were more or less Internet savvy?
What is the most important impression you want people to have when they click on your site (e.g., friendliness, professionalism, or playfulness)?
If you had to state the goal or purpose for your web site in one sentence, what would it be (e.g., to raise donations, to educate/inform, or to promote services/products)?
View your major competitors' sites. Notice what you like and dislike about their design and functionality. What are they doing that you would like to implement? Avoid?
If you are familiar with the web, make a list of features you like (e.g., collapsible or tree menus) and those you dislike (e.g., flash introductory pages)? Also list web sites you particularly like or dislike, even if the they are not related to your field or topic.
Note if there are colors or graphics that must be used on the site (e.g., logos, taglines, or certain fonts).
Do you have a collection of web-ready graphics for use on your site? If not, decide on a budget for this important design element.
Have you collected all the site assets—text copy, graphics, media and other material—you want to present on the site?
Do you need to launch your site by a specific date? Will you have all the assets ready so the designer can meet that date?
If you are revising an existing site, how much of the content do you want to reuse?
If you are going to sell products or services or accept donations, have you set up a merchant account with your bank or other secure online service, such as Pay Pal?
Have you registered a domain name? Have you already signed up with a hosting service? If not, seek your designer's advice for suggestions and requirements for your site.
What level of security will you require (e.g., will you need sections of the site to be password protected)?
Who will maintain your site? If someone on staff will do this, we can train them.
Still have questions? Contact us and we'll do our best to supply the answers.
home
