The best preparation for a website development project is to be clear about what the website needs to achieve before design or development begins. Dobble’s approach is based on Structure Before Aesthetics, so the early planning stage focuses on goals, search intent, site architecture, conversion pathways, performance, security and scalability before visual design is finalised.
Before starting, it helps to prepare the following information:
- Business goals: Explain what the website needs to do, such as generate enquiries, support multiple service areas, sell products, improve search visibility, replace an outdated site or connect with internal systems.
- Target audience: Identify who the website is for, what they need, what problems they are trying to solve and what action you want them to take.
- Services, products and locations: List your core services, product categories, target locations and any priority areas for search visibility.
- Brand assets: Provide your logo, colour references, typography, brand guidelines, imagery, brochures, business documents and any existing design assets.
- Website content: Gather existing page copy, service descriptions, product information, team details, FAQs, testimonials, case study material and any approved legal or policy content.
- Current website access: If you have an existing website, prepare access to your CMS, hosting, domain registrar, DNS provider, analytics tools and any connected systems where available.
- Domain and email details: Know who manages your domain, DNS and email. This is important because DNS records can affect the website, SSL, email delivery and launch planning.
- Integrations: Document any CRMs, accounting platforms, booking systems, payment gateways, inventory systems or other business tools the website may need to connect with.
- Internal approvals: Decide who will provide feedback, who can approve design and content, and who will sign off before launch.
Dobble’s onboarding process typically begins with an initial consultation, followed by a tailored proposal. After proposal acceptance, clients complete a questionnaire and provide required assets and access credentials. Where applicable, Dobble may also complete a technical audit before planning the website structure, search strategy, content requirements and development approach.
If the project is a standard business website, Dobble will usually assess whether its proprietary Genesis CMS is the right fit. Genesis CMS powers the majority of Dobble websites and is purpose-built for performance, security, SEO capability, flexibility and reduced reliance on third-party plugins and bloated themes. For larger bespoke systems, business applications or complex integrations, Dobble may recommend Laravel instead.
It is also useful to think about who will update the website after launch. Clients who request Genesis CMS access can be provided with a limited user account containing the permissions required to manage website content, with access levels assigned at Dobble’s discretion to protect the integrity, security and functionality of the site. Basic training and documentation for common content management tasks can be provided where requested.
During the build, Dobble develops and tests websites and applications in a secure staging environment before deployment. Where possible, clients can review a password-protected staging website and provide feedback before launch. If domain access is not yet available, Dobble may securely share staging access through a password-protected Cloudflare Tunnel.
Preparation also helps avoid delays. Website development timeframes depend on scope, technical complexity, integrations, revisions, client responsiveness, content approval and access to required third-party services. As a general guide, custom website development commonly takes 4 to 8 weeks, while e-commerce development may take 6 to 12 weeks and custom Laravel applications may take 8 to 24 weeks or more.
If you are unsure what to prepare, Dobble can guide you through the process. A good starting point is to document your goals, gather your existing assets and make a list of the systems your business relies on. From there, Dobble can help turn those requirements into a structured development plan built around search visibility, performance, security, conversion and long-term growth.