Website Design Worksheet

Below are some of the topics we will be discussing with you as we work with you to design your website. Not all of these items will be a part of every project; it really depends upon the nature and functionality of your website.

This worksheet is designed to start the communications process between you and us; to get you thinking about all the features and functions that must be considered during the design process. It might be helpful if you print this page and jot down some of your ideas before we me meet to discuss your needs.

Purpose

What will be the purpose of your website?

  • build brand identification
  • give a favorable impression of your organization
  • develop a qualified list of potential customers
  • encourage visitors to contact you in person or by phone or email
  • make product information and price lists available or to sell products online
  • other

Size of the website

How many pages do you envision your website having and what topics do you want to cover?

Some examples are:

  • Home page (of course)
  • About your company
  • Contact you
  • Services you offer
  • Products you sell
  • News about your organization or industry
  • FAQs
  • Resources

Appearance

Do you have a logo, organization-specific artwork, brand colors or other designs that you'd like to incorporate into your website?

Navigation

Your website will need some sort of navigation feature. Do you have a preference in mind? Down the side, across the top or a combination of both? Have you thought about buttons or popup or dropdown menus?

Content

Content is often the most difficult thing to develop but it is really the life's blood of a website.

Animations, audio, video

Your website will most likely have other elements too, like graphics and photos, and possibly even animations, audio, or video.

Forms

You might also want to allow visitors to interact with your website. This is typically done via online forms that have fields that web visitors fill out. Submitted information is often emailed to someone at your organization or stored in a database. Some functions that forms serve are:

  • a visitor requests that you contact them
  • a visitor requests that you answer a question through email
  • you can have visitors fill out a survey

Domain name

Do you have a registered domain name or some ideas about what you'd like?

Budget

Do you have a budget in mind?

Other Considerations

There are other things to consider as well. Will you:

  • give visitors a good reason to come to your website by offering something of value or interest
  • supply industry-wide links and negotiate reciprocal links to and from their websites
  • purchase web-based or other advertising
  • become active in news groups and other online forums
  • develop a mini advertisement in the signature of your email messages
  • make your website part of an online mall
  • send email newsletters