Politics, lack of planning, overlooked details, and poor prioritizing can compromise your Web design or redesign effort. Justin James offers a simple roadmap to lead your project to a successful conclusion.

Time and time again, I have seen companies struggle with Web site design projects. Initial Web site design and redesigns of existing sites may each face a few different challenges, but overall, they are similar. My experience has been that these problems are not technical issues, but project management and cultural issues. Often, no one follows a game plan — they just blindly rush off and attempt to re/design the Web site with little forethought. On the other hand, I have also been through a number ofsuccessful Web site re/design projects (measured by, “Did we get a good-looking, usable Web site deployed in a reasonable amount of time?”). Here are some of the things I’ve learned to do that will help make any Web site design project go smoothly.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: Politely keep those who lack a clue out of the process

#2: Prototype on paper before coding

#3: Build your site map before you start designing

#4: Don’t worry about the home page or link names

#5: Forget about the content, too, while you’re at it…

#6: …But don’t let others forget about the content

#7: Organize the site around the users, not the organization

#8: Don’t overlook SEO, usability, and accessibility

#9: The details make the difference

#10: Have a game plan!

Continues @ http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=377