Before starting website development, it's helpful to gather missing inputs and verify critical aspects in advance. This approach helps avoid a situation where the design is ready, only to discover that the site doesn't meet business, search visibility, or security requirements. Goals, audience, and user scenarios Start by defining the website's purpose: sales, lead generation, customer support, portfolio, or information resource. Then, clarify the target audience and key scenarios—for example, how a user selects a product, submits a request, or makes a purchase. The more precise these answers, the easier it will be to align the structure and functionality. Content, structure and page requirements Check which sections are needed and who will prepare the content: text, images, documents, FAQs, terms and conditions, contacts. Consider the information architecture: which pages are essential (home page, catalog/services, about the company, contacts), and which are optional. If you don't have any content yet, it's best to determine the preparation timeline and format in advance. It's also worth assessing SEO fundamentals: search queries, semantics, URL structure, headings (H1/H2), meta tags, and plans for creating articles or landing pages. This doesn't mean you have to write the content right away, but the framework and logic of the pages should be defined before development. Technologies, domain, hosting and integrations Clarify the technical basis of the future website: will it be a CMS (for example, for quick edits) or custom development? Will it need support for an online store, a personal account, application forms, payment methods, or CRM integrations? Check the domain name (for accessibility and brand friendliness) and the hosting choice: performance, scalability, backups, and HTTPS support. Plan your integrations right away: analytics (counters and events), feedback forms, chat/messengers, newsletters, advertising accounts, CRM. It's important to determine which user actions need to be tracked so you don't have to "tweak them on the fly" after launch. A separate section is dedicated to security and availability: SSL certificate, protection against common attacks, correct user permissions settings in the admin panel, component updates. Clarify who will be responsible for technical support after the release. Legal and organizational checks Before launching, check legal requirements: privacy policy, user agreement, personal data processing rules, terms of use, and the correct display of contact information. If the site has forms, be sure to carefully consider user information and legal texts regarding data collection. Also, agree on the work process: who approves layouts and texts, how edits are accepted, and what are the deadlines for each stage. A good practice is to establish release readiness criteria in advance: loading speed, correctness of the responsive layout, form and integration tests, and analytics verification. Ultimately, a "pre-design review" saves time and budget. Before creating a website, it's worth making sure you understand the goal, have prepared a content plan, laid SEO and analytics foundations, selected a reliable infrastructure, and considered legal requirements. This transforms development from a series of random decisions into a controlled process of refinement and launch.