Forum Moderators: phranque
After doing many sites over the years, i'm finding out the easiest sites to build are the ones well planned out in advance. It saves you the trouble of planning and re-planning mid-project and you can just hack away at code until it's done.
My problem and question is that i'm not very good at the actual planning process of a site, especially from scratch. My method right now is just scribble down some notes, maybe sketch a design on paper and keep the rest in my head (usually forgetting information). A bigger problem comes when you work with someone who can't read minds (i'm sure there are a few like that out there ;)
So, what do you do to plan a site? Are there any simple site planners which will allow you to say:
Create Index
- write up key elements
- write up simple design features
- create links to other pages of your site
You can then click on those links and see page2, page3, etc all with the elements and features on each page, all linked together in a nice web that will be used as guidance for both you and your team when you're creating the site.
Hopefully there is a program out there like that, if not, does anyone have any other suggestions, maybe workarounds to properly plan a site?
Thank you for your time and replies!
Once you have the content, get a template and the rest is cake, just plop the content in the relevant portions, with 75-100 pieces of content should get you a 5-10 page Web site.
Then, universalize the code and navigation throughout the site, optimize the entire images directory and validate the code (remove ALL errors and make it into a w3-compliant standard).
A program? Only thing I can think of is a Wysiwyg proggie helps in getting started, but nothing builds the whole site for you that I know of. As for me, I use a syntax-based text code editor, I can program perl, php, xhtml, really any code I want and I like it because I SEE the code rather than the graphical result.
They ought to build a plug-this-into-my-brain, ONE click and BLAM the entire site is built but in the end it sure is a lot of work, no doubt about it.
I would advise you to decide on what niche you will focus on. Do not go very broad as it becomes boring when you start to see that there is lots of work. Choose a rather smaller niche but try to be best on it.
What I do is, after choosing the niche get the pen and paper and make some research about that topic. Go to forums and read about it if the topic has forums. Observe people's questions about it and get a pen and a paper and start your brain storm. In 1-2 weeks you should get a great list of ideas.
Then go to similar web sites in that niche and look carefully again take notes.
Go to keyword tools and search for the popular words on your niche and take notes.
Gather all those notes and you should be able to know what to do.
And most importantly be PATIENT :)) (This is the hardest part)
Hope helps.
S.Palali
I use a program that does everything you list. I'm always a little shy about mentioning it in these forums, because it's one of those WYSIWYG, "build a website without any knowledge of HTML" set-ups. But even if you don't build your actual website with it, the file it sets up can be used as a killer flowchart/blueprint/sitemap.
Even the name is embarrassing: CuteSite Builder. It's put out by Globalscape, the same company that has CuteFTP (only connection to me is that I use their program). There's a 30-day free trial download if you want to play around with it and see if it has what you're looking for. Version 5 is in beta testing and will have some new features for people who actually use the program to make finished websites, but the current version has all the site organization elements the new one will have.
What I really like about it is that you can have the entire site layout open in front of you as a (clickable!) flowchart even when you're working on a specific page. You can move pages around using drag-and-drop, add new sequences, links, etc. right on the flowchart, and then actually navigate to those pages. If you want to see your site organization, it's the best thing I've found.
Beagle, thanks. Yea, it's not so much for editing the site, but the flowchart and mainly for my partner on the project with me. We can share the flowchart and understand exactly what pages need to be built so we don't build 95% of the site, put it live and then remember we forgot the tiny confirm pages, or something like that.
I'll definitely check out that product :) Thanks again
