At Digital Spark Creative, we approach website projects as structured collaborations. Over time, we’ve learned that the most successful builds start with clarity around goals, content, and decision-making before any design or development work begins.
This guide outlines what we typically ask clients to have prepared before a website project starts, and why it matters.
Clear Goals for the Website
Before we begin any design work, we align on the purpose of the website. You should be able to answer:
Clear goals help guide structure, navigation, and layout decisions early on. When goals are well defined from the start, the rest of the project tends to move more smoothly.
Website Content: Text, Images, and Brand Assets
When we say “content,” we’re referring to everything that appears on the pages of your website.
This typically includes:
Content does not need to be perfect, but it does need to be complete enough to design around. Writing page copy is often the largest workload on the client side of a website project, and it’s also the most common source of delays when it isn’t ready.
We ask clients to provide content because you know your organization, programs, and services better than anyone else. Once content is in place, the remaining phases of the project — design, development, revisions, and launch — are typically very straightforward.
If you’d like support with copywriting or content refinement, that can be included for an additional cost. If this is something you’re interested in, it’s important to let us know early so it can be scoped appropriately.
One Primary Point of Contact
Once goals and content are aligned, clear communication becomes the final piece that keeps projects moving smoothly.
To keep communication efficient and feedback clear, we ask that each project have:
- One main decision-maker
- One organized set of revisions per review round
This doesn’t limit collaboration. It simply ensures that feedback is gathered internally and shared in a clear, actionable way. Projects move fastest when direction is focused and consistent.
Setting the Project Up for Success
When goals are clear, content is ready, and communication is streamlined, website projects tend to move more efficiently, require fewer revisions, and launch with greater clarity and confidence
We’ve found that investing time upfront creates a smoother process and better results for everyone involved.
Ready to Get Started?
If you’re planning a website project and want to make sure you’re set up for success, we’re happy to talk. We also offer strategy sessions for organizations that want clarity before committing to a full redesign.