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What Should You Prepare Before Starting a Website Project?

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Starting a website project is exciting, but the quality of the finished website depends on more than design and development. The decisions, information and materials you prepare before work begins can have a major influence on the project’s direction.

A good preparation process helps everyone understand what the website needs to achieve, who it is for and what needs to happen next. It can also reduce delays caused by missing content, unclear approvals or decisions being passed between too many people.

You do not need to have every detail finalised before speaking to a web design partner. However, it helps to gather the essentials and identify the decisions that will need to be made.

Start with the reason for the project

Before discussing colours, layouts or platforms, define why you are starting the project.

Your reason might be to:

Try to describe the problem in practical terms. “We need a modern website” is a useful starting point, but it does not explain what the current website is failing to do.

A more helpful brief might be: “Our manufacturing website contains useful technical information, but visitors struggle to understand which services are relevant to them and how to request a quotation.”

This gives the project a clearer focus. It also helps your web partner make recommendations based on business needs rather than appearance alone.

Agree the main business goals

A website can support several objectives, but it is useful to identify the most important ones before the project begins.

Consider what you want the website to help you achieve. For example:

Your goals do not need to include precise targets at this stage. They should provide a clear sense of what success would look like.

It is also worth considering how different audiences will use the website. A healthcare provider may need to reassure patients and make essential information easy to find. A school may need to help prospective parents understand its offering, values and admissions process. A manufacturer may need to explain specialist capabilities to buyers who are comparing suppliers.

These audiences may need different routes through the website, even when they are visiting the same organisation.

Identify your audiences and their questions

Write down the main groups of people who will use the website. Keep the list focused rather than trying to include everyone.

Depending on your organisation, audiences might include:

For each audience, consider:

This exercise is particularly useful when your business offers technical, specialist or high-value services. Visitors may not understand internal terminology, product classifications or industry processes in the same way your team does.

A website should make the important information clear to the people using it, not simply reflect the way your organisation is structured internally.

Take stock of your existing content

Content is often one of the biggest areas of work in a website project. Before starting, create an inventory of what you already have.

This could include:

For each item, decide whether it should be:

Do not assume that every existing page needs to be carried across. A new website is an opportunity to improve the structure and remove content that is no longer useful.

At the same time, do not overlook valuable information simply because it is not currently on the website. Sales teams, customer service staff and technical specialists often have answers to common customer questions that would improve the website content.

Prepare your brand assets

Gather the files that will help the design team represent your organisation consistently.

Useful assets may include:

If you have a brand identity but no formal guidelines, make a note of how the brand is currently used. Include examples of materials that feel right and any elements that should be retained.

It is also helpful to be honest about the quality and ownership of your assets. Low-resolution images, outdated photography or files supplied in unsuitable formats may need to be replaced or recreated.

For a manufacturer, this might mean gathering factory photography, product images, diagrams and technical visuals. For a clinic, it may involve preparing team photographs, treatment information and details about the environment patients will visit.

Decide who owns each responsibility

Website projects involve many decisions. If responsibility is unclear, progress can slow down or feedback can become contradictory.

Before work begins, identify:

One person may hold several of these responsibilities, particularly in a small business. That is fine, provided everyone understands who has the authority to make the final decision.

It is also worth agreeing how feedback will be collected. A single, considered response is usually easier to act on than separate comments arriving from several people over a number of days.

Plan the approval process

Approvals can become a hidden source of delay. Think about what needs to be approved, who will approve it and how long each stage is likely to take.

Typical approval points include:

If your organisation has a board, trustees, compliance team or external stakeholders, include their review requirements in the project plan. Do not leave these approvals until the final stage.

You should also decide how factual content will be checked. This is important for manufacturers, healthcare providers, schools and any organisation communicating specialist or sensitive information.

A clear approval process does not mean rushing decisions. It means giving the right people enough time to review the work without creating uncertainty for everyone else.

Gather technical information and access

Your web partner may need access to existing systems or information about how your current website works.

Depending on the project, this may include:

Do not send passwords by email or place them in an unsecured document. Ask how access should be shared safely.

You may not need to provide every item at the beginning. However, identifying what exists will help uncover technical dependencies early. It can also prevent unpleasant surprises when the new website needs to connect to another system.

If you do not know who manages your domain, hosting or website access, make finding out part of your preparation.

Think about timing and availability

Website projects require input from your team. Content, feedback, meetings and testing all take time, even when a web partner is handling much of the production work.

Review your calendar for:

Avoid choosing a launch date without considering the work required before it. If the website needs to support an important campaign, allow time for content approval, testing and any necessary staff training.

It is often better to agree a realistic timeline than to create unnecessary pressure around a fixed date.

Prepare a list of questions

You do not need to understand every technical option before starting a website project. A good web partner should explain the choices and their implications.

However, prepare questions about areas that matter to your organisation, such as:

The answers will help you compare proposals based on suitability, clarity and long-term practicality rather than price alone.

A simple preparation checklist

Before your first detailed project meeting, try to have the following ready:

This does not need to be a perfect document. Even a shared working note can make the first conversation more productive.

The purpose of preparation is not to make every decision in advance. It is to give the project a solid foundation, highlight areas that need discussion and make sure the right people are involved.

What if you are not ready yet?

Many businesses begin a website conversation with incomplete content, uncertain goals or limited technical knowledge. That should not prevent you from getting started.

A discovery phase can help you organise your requirements, identify gaps and decide what should be prioritised. You may also choose to launch the project in stages, focusing first on the pages and functionality that will make the biggest practical difference.

The most important step is to be open about what you know, what you do not know and where your team needs support. A clear conversation at the beginning is usually more valuable than trying to create a perfect brief alone.

Start as soon as you know that a new website or redesign may be needed. Gathering content, checking technical access and confirming internal availability can take longer than expected, particularly in organisations with several decision-makers.

No. It helps to gather existing information and identify subject specialists, but content planning and writing can be part of the project. The important thing is to understand what information exists and where the gaps are.

Include the people who understand the business, customers, technical requirements and approval process. A small project may have one main contact, while larger organisations may need representatives from marketing, sales, operations, IT and senior management.

This depends on the project, but it may include access to your domain, hosting, existing website, analytics, search tools, email marketing, CRM, payment providers or other connected systems. Access should always be shared securely.

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Planning a website project?

If you are considering a new website or redesign, we can help you clarify the priorities, content and practical requirements before production begins. Get in touch with Urbansoul Design to discuss your project, call 0161 883 0043 or email hello@urbansouldesign.co.uk.