"Go there - I don't know where, bring this - I don't know what." This saying perfectly describes a poorly defined technical task for a development team.

Do you want to contact an agency to use a website development service? But before you do, you should clearly define for yourself what exactly you want.

How to set the right task

If the client already has a website, it can be redesigned. There are two options:

• Redesign. The visual design changes, but the content remains the same.
• A complete redesign. Everything is changing: design, content, page structure.

If you don't have a website, you can create one from scratch. Before proceeding with the development, it is advisable for the client to prepare a small presentation, which should include the following:

• the purpose of developing a web page;
• the target audience for which it will be designed;
• structure;
• type of content;
• the functional side.

The more specific the information, the better the result.

We formulate business goals

You need to understand exactly what tasks need to be solved. It depends on the specifics of the business and its level of development. For example, if you are just opening an online shoe store, the main goal of the site is to introduce customers to the products.

Looking for common ground

Agencies employ only highly skilled professionals, but if the client speaks in highly specialized technical terms that only they understand, effective cooperation may not work. Tasks should be written in a language that everyone understands. The same applies to developers - you should discuss in advance what terminology will be used during the work. There should be no misunderstandings due to some technical terms.

Identify key customers

The target audience is people who share certain characteristics, such as age, gender, and income. And key customers are those who will systematically visit the site and solve their problems with its help. For example, if a user visits a marketing website, it is more important to determine what task they need to solve than what gender or age they are.

We discuss the functionality of the site

Functionality is those options that the user makes directly on the site: logs in, adds goods to the cart, places an order. You can think about all these nuances on your own or use the help of developers. For example: if you want the customer to be able to order a callback, you need to have a request form. If you plan to make changes in the future, you will need the editing functionality.

And a few more tips

Small details also make a big difference. For a good result, you need to think through everything carefully and talk through it:

1. Write scripts for each task. You can put yourself in the user's shoes and determine the entry point to the site. It doesn't have to be the main page. Then hypothetically think of a scheme for searching for the necessary information by the user.
2. Create a preliminary site structure. Write out all the necessary pages and make a hierarchical structure out of them.
3. Prepare content. It should include high-quality images and unique texts.

You should also decide what domain name the site will have, whether you need a version for other digital media, the deadline and the approximate budget of the project.