What to Expect When You Commission a Website
For many business owners, commissioning a website is unfamiliar territory. You know your business inside out, but the web design process can feel opaque — lots of jargon, unclear timelines, and moments where you're not sure what you should be doing. This guide walks you through the typical stages of a website project and helps you be the kind of client that gets the best results.
Whether you've written a detailed RFP or started with a simple website brief, understanding the process helps you make better decisions and avoid the pitfalls that cause delays and budget overruns.
Stage 1: Discovery and Planning
Good agencies start by understanding your business before designing anything. The discovery phase typically involves a kickoff meeting to discuss your goals, audience, and requirements; a review of your current site's analytics (if you have one); competitor analysis; and defining the project scope, timeline, and deliverables.
Your role at this stage is to be honest and thorough. Share everything the agency needs to know about your business, your customers, and what you want the website to achieve. The more context they have, the better their work will be. This is also when you should identify all internal stakeholders who'll need to approve the final site.
Stage 2: Information Architecture and Wireframes
Before any visual design begins, the agency will plan the site structure and page layouts. Information architecture defines what pages you need and how they connect. Wireframes are simplified layouts showing where content, images, and functionality will sit on each page — without colours, fonts, or visual styling.
When reviewing wireframes, focus on content flow and user journeys rather than how things look. Ask: can a visitor find our key services within two clicks? Is the enquiry form easy to reach? Does the homepage clearly communicate what we do? Visual design comes later.
Stage 3: Visual Design
This is where the agency brings the wireframes to life with your brand colours, typography, imagery, and visual style. Typically they'll design two or three key pages first (homepage, a service page, a blog post) and present these for feedback before designing the rest.
Giving Good Design Feedback
This is where many projects stall. 'I don't like it' or 'Make it pop more' aren't helpful because they don't tell the designer what to change. Instead, be specific about what's working and what isn't, and explain why. 'The hero section feels too corporate for our brand — we want to come across as approachable and friendly' gives the designer something to work with.
- Consolidate feedback from all stakeholders into one document — don't send contradictory opinions from five different people
- Reference specific elements ('the header', 'the testimonial section') rather than making vague comments
- Explain the problem, not just the solution — 'The text is hard to read' is more useful than 'Make it bigger', because the designer may have a better solution
- Be decisive — endless rounds of minor tweaks waste everyone's time and budget
- Trust the designer's expertise on visual decisions — they've designed hundreds of sites and know what works
Stage 4: Development
Once designs are approved, the agency builds the actual website. This is usually the longest phase and involves front-end development (making the designs work in a browser), back-end development (CMS setup, functionality, integrations), and content population.
During development, you'll typically have less day-to-day involvement, but this is the time to prepare your content. If you're writing your own copy, have it ready when the developers need it. Content delays are the number one reason web projects run over schedule.
Stage 5: Content Population
Content is the fuel that makes your website work. Whether you're writing it yourself or the agency is creating it, content needs to be finalised and added to the site. This includes page copy, blog posts, images, videos, team bios, case studies, and any downloadable resources.
If you're responsible for content, treat deadlines seriously. A website with placeholder text and stock images isn't ready to launch, and waiting for content after development is complete wastes time for everyone.
Stage 6: Testing and QA
Before launch, the site needs thorough testing. The agency will test functionality, cross-browser compatibility, mobile responsiveness, and performance. You should test too — click every link, fill in every form, read every page. You know your business and your customers better than anyone, so you'll spot issues the agency might miss.
Stage 7: Launch
Launch day involves pointing your domain to the new site, setting up SSL certificates, and doing a final round of checks. A good agency will have a launch checklist covering everything from redirects to analytics setup.
After launch, follow the post-launch SEO checklist to ensure your search rankings are protected and your analytics are tracking correctly.
Common Causes of Project Delays
- Late content — the most common delay, and it's usually the client's responsibility
- Too many stakeholders giving conflicting feedback
- Scope creep — adding features that weren't in the original brief
- Slow feedback turnaround — if the agency waits a week for your response at each stage, a 10-week project becomes a 20-week one
- Indecisive approval processes — not knowing who has final sign-off authority
- Last-minute design changes after development has started
- Unclear requirements that lead to mismatched expectations
Tips for Being a Great Client
- Appoint one person as the main point of contact — the agency needs a single decision-maker to keep things moving
- Respond to requests and feedback rounds promptly — aim for 2-3 business days maximum
- Prepare content early and treat content deadlines as seriously as design deadlines
- Be clear about what's essential for launch versus what can come later
- Trust the process — experienced agencies have refined their workflow for good reason
- Keep a running document of feedback rather than drip-feeding comments over email
- Be upfront about budget constraints so the agency can prioritise effectively
After Launch: What Happens Next
Launching your website isn't the end — it's the beginning. A website needs ongoing maintenance, content updates, security patches, and performance monitoring. Discuss post-launch support with your agency before the project starts. Most offer monthly maintenance plans covering updates, backups, security, and minor changes.
Set up Google Analytics properly from day one and monitor your conversion rates to understand how the new site is performing against your goals. Use this data to inform ongoing improvements and content strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a typical website project take?
A standard business website takes 8-16 weeks from kickoff to launch. Complex ecommerce sites or custom web applications can take 4-6 months or longer. The biggest variable is usually content preparation and feedback turnaround times on the client side.
What if I change my mind about something mid-project?
Minor changes are normal and expected. Significant changes (adding new features, redesigning approved pages, restructuring the site) usually mean additional cost and timeline. Discuss the impact of any change request with your agency before committing to it.
Should I write my own website content?
You know your business best, so you can certainly write effective content. However, professional copywriting often produces better results because copywriters understand how to write for the web, structure content for SEO, and create compelling calls to action. Many agencies offer copywriting as part of their service or can recommend freelance writers.
What should I look for in a website RFP template?
A comprehensive RFP template should cover project scope, timeline, budget, technical requirements, and success metrics. It helps you clearly communicate your needs and enables agencies to give accurate quotes. Using a template also ensures you're comparing apples-to-apples across multiple agency proposals.
How do I create an effective website brief?
A good website brief includes your business goals, target audience, key features needed, timeline, and budget. Be specific about what success looks like. A clear brief prevents scope creep and ensures the agency understands exactly what you're trying to achieve.
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Written by
Founder of Web Design Ireland. Helping Irish businesses make smart website investments with honest, practical advice.
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