Determine Who Is In charge

The first thing you need to do is to determine who will be making decisions about your web site. For some groups, a web development committee is a good idea. You will want to choose people for your committee who are able to see the "big picture" for your business. In other organizations, one person may be enough. It is important for final decisions to be made by one or two people. Large group decisions can be time-consuming and costly.

Set Goals and Determine Your Resources

When you think about the goals for your web site, consider these questions:

• What type of web site is wanted?
• What are the organization's long range goals and how will this affect the web site?
• What is xpected completion date?
• What is the budget?
• What groups or individuals within the organization have skills or talents that can be utilized?

Know Your Audience

Think about whom you are trying to reach with your web site. Just as you would normally consider a marketing strategy for your product or service, you must also be aware of your on-line marketing. Is your audience a broad one, or are you going after a specialized group? What age groups are you trying to reach? Asking and answering questions like these can help your designer come up with ideas to attract your audience.

 Browse The Web

Look at other sites in related and non-related fields. Note what you like and do not like. When you finds sites or sections of sites that you like, write down the URL.

Think About Color

If you have a logo, you may already know what color scheme you want to use on your web site. For some people, however, the logo will just be the jumping off point in terms of color. Talk to your web development committee to determine what kind of color scheme you want. If you aren't sure what you want, it is helpful to decide what you do NOT want.

Think About Style

What style do you want:

• Traditional
• Classic
• Modern
• Corporate
• New Age

Review Print Material

Look through all kinds of print materials -- magazines, brochures, ads -- and pick out ones that you like. It can be the overall effect or just a portion. Remember what works in print also works on the web. The principals are the same.

Gather Your Information

You need to be thinking about what you want to present on-line about the organization. If you have brochures or catalogs, annual reports or budgets, or anything else that is currently in a printed format, you should start gathering this information. Be sure to have the text on disk for the web designer. Remember that the web is not just a forum for printed media. It is a good idea to use images or graphics. Think about what images or graphics would best represent your organization. If you sell or distribute products, contact the manufacturer and ask for permission to use their images.