A Checklist to Prepare for a Successful Website Project — 7 Key Points to Review Before Requesting a Quote

Since starting out as a freelance web designer in Australia in 2001, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a wide variety of website projects up to the present day.

However, just because I’ve accumulated years of experience doesn’t mean the web design process always goes smoothly. Each client has their own unique goals and background, and every situation is different.

That hasn’t changed—whether it was in 2001 or today, whether the project was based in Australia or here in Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan, where AEDI is now located.

One common scenario I often encounter is a client saying,
“We’re not sure yet—just give us a quote for now.”

Unfortunately, projects that begin without clear goals or requirements tend to run into trouble later. Misunderstandings, misalignment, and unclear direction often result in a final product that feels off-target—”Not what we were expecting…”

On the other hand, simply having a few key details organized in advance can greatly improve the accuracy of a quote and make communication with the designer smoother. It can also have a big impact on the quality of the final website.

Think of it like asking a travel agent to plan your vacation without telling them where you want to go. It’s hard to make a good plan without knowing the destination.

Below are seven key points I’ve found essential to clarify before requesting a quote. Whether you’re creating a new website or planning a redesign, this checklist will help you get off to a strong start.

A website is never the end goal—it’s a tool. Do you want to attract more customers? Improve your company’s credibility? Boost recruitment?

Sometimes a website is simply meant to act as a digital business card. But even then, it’s important to clarify how that card will be used and what it should communicate.

Having more than one goal is fine, but be sure to prioritize them.

Even if your main reason is “we just want it to look better,” that’s perfectly valid. Still, asking “why?” one more time may reveal a deeper goal, such as refreshing your brand image or differentiating from competitors.

One of the first things we ask clients is: “Who do you want to reach with this website?”

If the target audience isn’t clear, it becomes difficult to choose the right tone for the text or direction for the design.

For example, if you’re a local service company, your visitors may be most concerned about trust, availability, or pricing transparency. Understanding this helps us design accordingly.

The clearer your audience and strengths, the better we can shape your site to speak to them effectively.

If you’re planning a redesign, it’s important to pinpoint what’s not working with your current site.

Maybe it looks outdated, is hard to use on mobile, or is difficult to update. Listing out specific issues helps define your priorities for improvement.

Even if you can’t quite put your finger on what’s wrong, a good design partner can help identify and define those “vague frustrations.” Turning unclear feelings into actionable direction is part of our job.

A mismatch in visual expectations is one of the most common sources of dissatisfaction in web design.

Often, clients are unhappy with the look of their site simply because there wasn’t enough “visual alignment” early on.

Whether it’s layout, typography, use of images, animations, or user experience features like a smooth reservation system, sharing reference websites—even from different industries—can help tremendously.

The more you can articulate what you like and why, the easier it is to avoid miscommunication later.

Clients often say, “We want to keep the budget low” or “We need it done quickly.”

That’s completely understandable—but if your budget and timeline aren’t clearly defined, it becomes difficult to provide an accurate quote or realistic proposal.

Even a rough guideline like “Under ¥1,200,000” or “Within 3 months” helps us plan accordingly.

Vague requests like “as cheap and as fast as possible” often lead to rushed timelines and misaligned expectations.

Your post-launch update and management plan will directly affect how we build your site—especially the choice of CMS or admin interface.

Do you want to update news posts yourself? Will multiple staff members need access? Or do you prefer a fully managed service?

If this isn’t clarified upfront, you may later find the system harder to use than expected.

Designing with your update workflow in mind ensures your website will remain useful and sustainable over the long term.

One surprisingly common issue is when the person requesting the quote and the final decision-maker have different ideas.

Even if the project lead is fully prepared, it can all fall apart when a manager says, “This isn’t what I had in mind.”

• “It looked great—but it wasn’t my boss’s style.”
• “Turns out the CEO didn’t really believe in the value of a website.”

To avoid costly course corrections, clarify early on:

• Who is involved in approvals?
• Whose opinion takes priority?

Being aligned from the beginning helps keep the project on track.

In web design, the dream scenario is to have something cheap, fast, and high quality—but in reality, it’s rare to get all three at once.

Low budgets often result in less time spent on planning and communication, which leads to outcomes that miss the mark—and ultimately need to be redone. That means higher costs in the long run.

If you really want to keep costs down, being well-prepared is the best investment you can make.

Successful website projects aren’t the result of simply handing everything over to the design company.

They start with a clear understanding of goals, content, visual direction, and internal alignment.

From the designer’s perspective, a well-prepared client is a joy to work with—and the best foundation for trust and collaboration.

If you want a great website, start by getting organized.

If you’re unsure how to approach this for your own company, feel free to contact us. At AEDI, we’re happy to guide you through the process and propose a strategy that fits your needs.

Listening carefully to our clients is one of the most important parts of our work—and we’re here to help.

Please contact us anytime through our inquiry form.