Putting questions of content first.
Thinking seriously about content very early in the site design process can lead to great interfaces and effective brand messaging. Not doing so can result in reverse engineering, political infighting, and lost leads. Truly, content (copywriting, visual and functional elements) should not be 'the last thing to hammer out' once the design interface and technology is approved.
We've seen how clients put a lot of initial effort into finding the perfect design and technology firms, then put equal effort into approving a working design interface for the new site. Flowcharts begin to flow. Design options are rolled out. Then, someone stops the show and asks, 'What content are we going to put in here?' Good question, but a bit late.
Often, before we begin the task of conceiving and building beautiful web sites, we need to first understand the value and nature of the content that's going into it. Memorable visuals and pristine brands don't make a good substitute for useful and engaging content. So before you start work on your next web site redesign, make a list of the departments in your organization that will need 'real estate' somewhere on a given page(s). Also, consider what functionality your site will offer so that appropriate space and placement will be available for the elements necessary to make it run. Other questions to consider: Will photos of products, the offices, employees have to be taken and processed? How much copywriting will be required and can we use any from our other collateral materials? Which of this content is most important and where should it go in the completed interface? Is 'personalized' content necessary for different target audiences? These questions, along with many others, if asked at the critical first stages of a project, can make a big difference in the final design and be the key to a profitable site.