In this first phase we determine the basic information that will drive the rest of the process. Information gathering involves the identification of the unique aspects of your project by analyzing and understanding the organization's and the user's requirements. The intention is to develop a shared vision of the web site and to perform a comprehensive analysis of the user and task requirements. At this stage, defining the focus of the site is paramount. The process typically includes meetings with the client's staff. The information collected during this phase is vital for the effective development in Phase II.

Components
Information Gathering:
Meet with stakeholders to assess the company's objectives
Define goals
Define target audience
Define standards and measures of success
Define business model
Meet with subject matter experts, and user's, to research and analyze their perceptions and expectations for the product
Analyze the current version of the web site and log files
Identify problems that need to be resolved
Analyze competitive web sites
Analyze the users' tasks as they are performed or intended to be performed
Inventory existing content

Project Management:
Understand any budgetary or schedule limitations
Determine who will be the client's decision making contacts

Analysis:
Define the site concept and scope
Brainstorm and explore potential solutions and functionality (including search engine optimization)
Scope of design and technical alternatives
Delineate a style guide defining the development criteria (which technologies will be supported)

Product:
A documented Site Plan lays out a foundation for the design and implementation phases.