Before you start that web page or a creative brief.

There is the task of research: including competitive analysis, surveys, reviewing web and performance analytics, customer service calls and the buying process, what process worked, and pain points. Finally, learn from your existing customers and potential customers who visit your company.

Why the research? Building a website without data is relying on personal assumptions.

“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool”
—Richard P. Feynman

Most creative/designer briefs have the following section:

– System requirements
– Web team roles
– Client expectations
– Target audience
– Determining success metric
– Content
– Timelines
– Architecture diagrams
– Wireframes
– Prototypes

Before starting to code, get the approval of the following schematics:

– Architecture Diagram
– Wireframe
– Prototype - Comprehensive

These initial steps are important because code changes require more time and cost.

Additional examples:
• Intranet case study