Web design and development in Washington, D.C.

Start with who will update the site. WordPress suits a team that publishes often and wants to edit most pages itself. It also has a large choice of plugins, though someone needs to keep those and the platform updated for security. A custom-coded site in Next.js suits a design that needs more freedom from templates, fast pages and tight security; structural changes are generally a developer’s job.

A hosted builder such as Wix, Squarespace or Webflow suits a small site that you want to run yourself. You have less control over code and speed, and moving away later can mean rebuilding the site. That trade-off deserves a place in the brief before you pick a platform.

The design approach is a separate choice. A custom design fits a distinctive brand, audience or body of content. An adapted template can suit a simple site with a tight brief, provided the pages are reworked around your actual content. Bring your editing needs and page priorities to the discussion, and we can recommend an approach after learning how your team works.

Accessibility belongs in the brief. US guidance says the ADA covers the web services of businesses open to the public, and identifies WCAG as helpful guidance. State and local government sites have a WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirement. We agree an accessibility target with you, then use it to guide the sitemap, wireframes and page designs for desktop and mobile. Set that target before design feedback starts, so the team has a clear basis for reviewing the work.

Gather these items before the discussion so we can understand your starting point and who will handle the work on your side.

• Your logo in SVG, AI or EPS, plus brand colours and fonts, or a note that these still need creating.
• The site’s goal, such as quote requests or job applications, and the person who handles each enquiry.
• Sites you like and dislike, with a short reason for each choice.
• Login details for the domain, hosting, email, analytics and Search Console, or the name of their owner.
• Real photos of your team, premises and finished work, with a photo shoot arranged ahead if needed.
• A folder of case studies, permitted client logos, testimonials, certifications and memberships.

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  Approving desktop alone

  Review every page on a phone as well, since visitors use phones to reach company sites.

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  Copying the old sitemap

  Keep the service pages your visitors need instead of carrying over every page. A shorter site is easier to scan and maintain.

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  Using placeholder copy

  Put real headings and paragraphs into the design. Their length can change a layout that looked finished with placeholder text.

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  Leaving search setup until launch

  Check page titles, the sitemap and any development indexing block before the site goes live.