You may be a pro at your job and an expert on your industry, but how much do you know about web site design? For all the busy marketers and business owners out there, here is a quick guide to help you get the most out of your web site project.

• You are the expert on your company, so it is essential that you provide as much feedback as possible at every stage of the project. If anything is unclear or too abstract, just say something! Your web design team will be happy to help you understand.
• Remember: the best websites have a combination of great design AND great content. So get ready to take a critical look at the content on your site. If you don’t have the time to work on it, find someone on your team who does, or ask your web site design team about content creation services.
• The more content you can provide up front, the better your design will be. Even if you’re not done writing, sample or draft content will be of immense value to the web site design team in the early planning and design stages.
• If your project team is large, consider establishing a group of no more than three core decision makers who will work directly with the project manager on a day to day basis. Involve a larger stakeholder group for the first presentation of major milestones.
• Do your best to keep on schedule. Most web design firms juggle many projects at once so a delay in delivery of resources can cause your project to miss an important window in a designer’s or developer’s schedule. If you think you are going to miss a deadline, let your project manager know as soon as possible so she or he can plan accordingly. Keep in mind that several missed deadlines will affect the launch date of your site.
• Excessive rounds of changes can be costly and delay the launch of your site, so try to be comprehensive when you deliver feedback to the web design team. Compiling all ideas into a single document for turnover to the project manager is best. Also, ensure all stakeholders have submitted their input and include it in your master feedback document. If conflicting feedback exists, enlist the expertise of your web design team to find the best solution.