The most critical step in the web design process is creating an accurate project definition. A project definition includes a project brief and a project plan. The client survey is used to gather the information needed to develop the project brief and plan.

Step 1: Conduct a Client Survey Interview - The purpose of this interview is to determine the purpose of the project, the target audience, branding/perception goals, content source, technical specs and communication strategy.

Step 2: Write the Project Brief/Creative Brief - Based on the information gathered in the client survey, we write a project brief that states in black and white the project specifics.

Step 3: Develop Persona(s) - Look back at the client survey and project brief and develop a persona for the primary audience.

Step 4: Write the Project Technical Specifications - Using the information gathered in the client survey along with the technical standards of our organization, document the Technical Specifications to clearly establish requirements like screen resolution, browser compatibility, download time, web standards and accessibility.

Step 5: Develop the Project Plan/Timeline- Establish the timeline for deliverables and tasks for each phase of the project. Assign due dates and resources.

Step 6: Document Maintenance Considerations - Develop a web site maintenance plan that documents how the site will be updated and reviewed regularly.