Start with the customer and the action
Describe your main customers and the question that brings them to the site. A customer comparing services needs different information from an existing customer seeking support. Choose the main action: enquire, book, buy, or explore examples.
Share your existing URL if you have one. Explain the parts that work, the parts that confuse customers, and any content or branding that must be retained.
List the content, not just the pages
For each page, note the customer question it should answer, the information you already have and who will approve it. Service areas, product specifications, prices and business claims need accurate source information.
- Business name, contact details and actual service locations
- Services, intended audience and deliverables
- Existing logo, images and approved company text
- Real projects and reviews you have permission to publish
- Policies or purchasing information relevant to the site
Decide how two languages will be maintained
For an English and Chinese website, agree which pages need both languages and who approves each translation. Shared layouts reduce duplicated development, while separate language URLs let visitors link directly to the version they need.
Keep translated content together in the maintenance workflow. A price, service scope or policy change should trigger review of both versions; automatic translation alone should not approve business facts.
Specify enquiry and integration requirements
List the fields the contact form needs and where enquiries should arrive. Mention booking systems, payments, product catalogues, CRM or other integrations early, because they can change the scope and operating costs.
For an existing site, identify the important URLs and external links. A redesign should map changed addresses to suitable replacement pages rather than leave visitors at broken links.
Balance motion with the real browsing task
Share a few references and describe the specific quality you like: typography, imagery, layout or interaction. A full-screen scroll animation may suit a showcase, while someone urgently needing support should reach the relevant service and contact path quickly.
Agree how the design works on phones, keyboards and reduced-motion settings. The important service information should remain visible even if an animation or external script fails.
Confirm scope and ownership before launch
Ask what is included in the quote: design, content entry, translation, integrations, testing, hosting setup and any ongoing maintenance. Confirm who owns the domain, accounts, source files and supplied assets.
Before launch, review the agreed pages, both languages, enquiry delivery and mobile layouts. Search visibility depends on crawl access, useful content and indexing; a new website or redesign cannot guarantee a particular ranking.