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1 : Discovery & Strategy
Lay the Foundation: Strategic Discovery for Purpose-Driven Web Design
Discovery Phase
This phase is about understanding the who, what, and why of the website.
Interviews
Understand goals, pain points, expectations
Identify business objectives and KPIs
User Research
Define target audiences and user personas
Analyze customer journeys and use cases
Competitive Analysis
Evaluate competitors’ websites
Identify industry trends, strengths/weaknesses
Content Audit
Review existing site content (if redesigning)
Identify content gaps and improvement opportunities
Technical Discovery
Assess CMS, hosting, integrations
Understand SEO and accessibility requirements
Strategy Phase
This translates discovery findings into a roadmap and action plan.
Goal Definition
What does success look like? (e.g. lead gen, sales, sign-ups)
Define SMART goals
Information Architecture
Site map planning
User flow diagrams to map journeys
Content Strategy
Tone, voice, and messaging guidelines
Plan for new content vs repurposed content
Wireframes & Prototyping
Low-fidelity sketches of key pages
Test structure before visual design
SEO & Analytics Strategy
Define keyword targets, metadata strategy
Plan analytics tracking (Google Analytics, heatmaps)
Project Planning
Timeline, milestones, responsibilities
Tech stack and tools decisions
Key results
Defined Goals: Clear business objectives and success metrics.
User Insights: Personas and journey maps for user-focused design.
Competitive Analysis: Positioning and industry insights.
Site Architecture: Structured sitemap and user flows.
Content Plan: Inventory and strategy aligned with goals.
Tech Requirements: CMS, integrations, and functionality needs.
Wireframes: Early layouts for structure and UX validation.
Team Alignment: Shared vision across all site owners.
Project Roadmap: Timeline, phases, and responsibilities.
SEO & Conversion Strategy: Foundation for visibility and performance.
The discovery and strategy phase is the most critical step in website design because it lays the groundwork for everything that follows. It ensures the site is built with a clear understanding of the business goals, target audience, and technical requirements. By uncovering insights through research, analysis, and stakeholder input, this phase helps avoid costly mistakes, align the team, and create a roadmap for a user-centered, results-driven website. Skipping this step often leads to missed opportunities, unclear messaging, and underperforming design.
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