10 Web development stages
A lot of people think web development is complicated — but with a clear, guided process, it’s surprisingly simple and easy to get started.
1
Idea
This is the starting point. You tell me the core purpose of your website — what you want it to do and why it exists. It can be as simple as:
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“I want a site for my coaching business.”
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“I need a place to showcase my services.”
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“I want a clean page where clients can contact me.”
This step defines the direction of the entire project.
2
Here we shape the personality of your website. We talk about:
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The tone (professional, friendly, bold, minimalist)
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The style (modern, clean, colourful, corporate)
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The overall feeling you want visitors to experience
This step ensures your website reflects your brand identity and feels consistent with your business.
Concept & vision
3
Target audience
We identify exactly who the website is for. This matters because different audiences need different design approaches. We look at:
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Age group
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Technical comfort level
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What information they’re looking for
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How they prefer to navigate
Understanding your audience helps me design a site that is easy, intuitive, and enjoyable for them to use.
4
Design preferences
This is where your ideas become visual. You can provide:
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Hand‑drawn sketches
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Notes on layout
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Colour preferences
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Example websites you like
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Any “must‑have” elements
These don’t need to be perfect — even a rough sketch gives me a clear starting point. This step helps translate your vision into a realistic layout.
5
Send your materials
You email me the content I need to build the site. This usually includes:
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Text (About, Services, Contact details)
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Photos, logos, branding assets
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Any documents or downloads you want included
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Special features (forms, booking, gallery, blog, pricing tables)
This step ensures your website has real content, not placeholders.
6
First draft build
I take everything you’ve provided and create the first working version of your website. This includes:
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Page structure
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Navigation menu
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Initial layout
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Colour scheme
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Typography
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Basic responsiveness
The draft is your first chance to see your website come to life.
7
You look through the draft and tell me what you think. You can request:
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Changes to layout
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Adjustments to colours or fonts
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Additions or removals of sections
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Rewording of text
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More images or fewer images
This step is collaborative — your feedback shapes the final product.
Review and feedback
8
Final design refining
I apply all your feedback and polish the website. This includes:
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Visual improvements
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Better spacing and alignment
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Enhanced readability
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Stronger branding consistency
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Improved user experience
This step transforms the draft into a professional, finished design.
9
Before launching, I test the entire website thoroughly. This covers:
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Mobile responsiveness (phones, tablets)
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Page speed
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All links and buttons
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Contact forms
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Image optimisation
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Basic SEO (titles, descriptions, keywords)
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Accessibility considerations
This ensures your website works smoothly for every visitor.
Testing