1. Agree the delivery boundary
Identify the site's audience, primary conversion and content structure before estimating development. Separate interface implementation from brand design, copywriting, illustration and ongoing content production. An agreed design is not a complete specification for forms, mobile layouts or application behavior.
- Inventory pages, templates, forms and integration actions.
- Identify the owner of approved designs, copy and assets.
- Document CMS editing needs and application access roles.
2. Protect existing search and customer journeys
For a replacement website, inventory the existing URLs and meaningful journeys before changing the structure. Map moved pages to relevant destinations. Preserve useful information and working enquiries rather than sending every retired URL to the homepage.
- List current URLs, important backlinks where available and redirect decisions.
- Check canonical URLs, metadata, sitemap and crawl restrictions.
- Test forms, confirmations and external scheduling destinations.
3. Set measurable acceptance criteria
Agree which pages, browsers and screen sizes will be tested. Accessibility checks should cover keyboard use, focus visibility, labels and readable contrast as well as automated findings. Performance targets need a defined environment; a single synthetic score is not proof of every visitor's experience.
- Test responsive layouts and content overflow with real copy.
- Test navigation and forms with a keyboard.
- Check broken links, errors and integration failure states.
- Define release blockers and the person accepting delivery.
4. Keep infrastructure ownership explicit
A client should not discover after launch that its domain, CMS or hosting belongs to an unrelated account. Agree where the system runs, who pays recurring costs and who can recover access. A white-label arrangement changes presentation, not the need for accountable infrastructure ownership.
- Record domain, hosting, CMS and integration account owners.
- Document deployment, environment requirements and backup responsibilities.
- Keep credentials out of source code and handover documents.
5. Handover the ability to operate
Deliver the material someone needs to maintain the website, not only its public URL. Distinguish correction of agreed defects from new features, ongoing SEO, hosting support and content changes. Discuss these boundaries before launch so the agency can communicate them clearly to its client.
- Provide source access, deployment instructions and editing guidance.
- Record licensing, approved assets and outstanding dependencies.
- Agree support coverage, change requests and incident contacts.
Continue planning
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