It sounds overly simple, but it is important to set a goal for your website. Truly think about what you want to accomplish and write it down. Why? Because it will make the website development process easier. Every decision that you will need to make should be evaluated with this question: “Does this feature or process support the goal of the website?” By defining the aim - and objectives – of your website project, you will clearly see how to proceed.
Most people creating or revamping a website overlook this step, or confess that they have no idea how to decide. But even a simple or general aim is helpful. For example: The website should represent my company well.
With that goal, you can answer these questions about representing your company online:
- WHO will be looking for my company?
- HOW will they find my website?
- WHAT will they need to know about my company?
- WHY will they choose my company over the competition?
- WHERE can I place the information to be the most accessible?
- WHEN / HOW can they contact my company?
Answering these questions is actually establishing your objectives. From there, every decision is a matter of comparing the issue to the objectives and looking for a match. This should be a winnowing process, not an excuse to add features and expense to your project!
With a clear goal – even a simple one – you can keep focused on WHAT you set out to accomplish in the first place.
Tags: Website Development
