How to Create a Website Roadmap in 7 Steps

Wondering how to create a roadmap for your static website project? You’re in the right place! Whether you're just starting out or looking to improve your skills, we've got you covered. In this post, we’ll share valuable information and tips to help you navigate the static website roadmapping process and ensure a successful outcome.

Static Website Development Basics

Let's start by discussing the basics of web development. Understanding the difference between a website and a web application is essential. A website is generally designed to present content to users, while a web application is focused on providing users with tools or capabilities to perform tasks or accomplish specific goals. With this distinction in mind, let's discuss creating a roadmap for a website.

In this guide, we’ll focus on static websites. Static websites consist of fixed, unchanging content stored in HTML files, which are displayed to users in their web browsers as web pages. Since their content is already stored in the HTML files, static websites don't require any server-side processing. The stored content is displayed to users as is.

When you have a website, it's crucial to have a roadmap. A roadmap will help you understand your website’s purpose and how you can improve it in the future. Let’s get started with 7 steps to create a roadmap for your static website.

Step 1: Define Website Goals

Step one is to ask yourself what objectives must be achieved. For example, your goal could be to:

Increase brand visibility and recognition
Generate leads and convert them into customers
Provide a platform for customers to interact with the company
Educate customers on the company and its products/services
Increase website traffic and user engagement
Utilize the website for data collection and analysis

We can call this impact mapping. These goals will help focus on business values, and the designs will be impacted by whatever we're trying to achieve from this new project.

Step 2: Outline Scope

The scope of the website should include all necessary elements to provide users with an informative and user-friendly experience. This can include, but is not limited to:

Design: The design should be attractive and easy to navigate, with a clear hierarchy of pages and intuitive navigation.
Content: The website should include content that is relevant to the purpose of the website and should be written professionally and engagingly.
Functionality: The website should include all the necessary features and functions to ensure a positive user experience. This can include search capabilities, contact forms, payment processing, and social media integration.
Optimization: The website should be optimized for all devices and browsers, with appropriate testing to ensure compatibility.

Step 3: List the Website Structure

What pages will the website have? What navigation structure will it use? Write it all down before you start building!

Depending on the business your company is in, a website may include some or all of these pages:

Homepage featuring an overview of the website and its content.
Product or Services page for listing available products and services that you have to offer.
About page or section introducing the business and its mission.
Contact page or section for customers to connect with the business.
Blog page or section for regularly updating content.

This is not a comprehensive list, so don’t worry if you have more or fewer pages depending on your project.

💡 Tip: Check out a few websites similar to what you want to build and note their structure.

Step 4: Establish a Timeline

When planning a software project, it's important to think about how you want to deliver it. Whether you choose an agile or waterfall approach will affect the timeline and how tasks are tackled.

In an agile setting, things are more flexible, and you work in small chunks called "sprints." The timeline may not be super specific and focuses more on big-picture milestones. It's good to be open to changes as the project goes on.

On the other hand, a waterfall approach is more rigid. In waterfall project management, you finish one phase before moving on to the next. The timeline is usually more detailed and has specific deadlines for each task. Make sure to give yourself enough time for each phase and any hiccups that may come up.

No matter your approach, it's essential to have a clear and realistic timeline to ensure everything gets done.

Question: Do you need a backlog?

The backlog helps ensure that the team is focused on the most important work and that tasks are assigned to the appropriate people. By creating a backlog and regularly reviewing and updating it, you can help keep your website development project on track and ensure that your team delivers the most value to your users.

What does a backlog for a website look like?

By now, we understand that the requirements (Steps 2 and 3 above) are a first step. Once the requirements are gathered, the next step is to create a backlog. This is a list of all the features that need to be implemented, along with a prioritization of those features. It's typically divided into two categories: features and bugs. Features are the functionality that needs to be added to the site, while bugs are the errors that must be fixed. The backlog should be reviewed and updated regularly as the project progresses. The backlog is then used to create a roadmap for the project, which outlines the timeline and milestones for the project.

Step 5: Create a Task List

Generally speaking, each page follows the same set of tasks.

Designing the page
Writing copy/content for the page
Developing the page
Testing the page
Deploying the page

Add these tasks to your preferred project management tool, making sure to account for each page of your website. If needed, break larger issues down into more manageable tasks. For more project management advice, check out How to Break Down Epics into User Stories.

Step 6: Prioritize Tasks

Identify the tasks that need to be completed first. Start with the most urgent tasks and work your way down the list.

It may be helpful to break the tasks into smaller chunks that can be completed in a shorter amount of time. Additionally, consider the resources and time available and determine which tasks can be completed within that timeframe.

Step 7: Assign Tasks

Once the tasks have been identified and you have the resources, assign tasks to the team members. When assigning tasks, be sure to consider the skills and abilities of each team member to ensure that everyone can contribute to the success of the project.

In addition to assigning tasks, it's important to set a timeline for each task. This will help ensure that the project is completed in a timely manner and that everyone is working towards the same goal. Make sure to communicate the timeline to the team and set milestones along the way. This will help keep the team motivated and on track.

Conclusion

Creating a website roadmap is an important step in launching a successful website. It helps to define your goals, identify necessary tasks, and design, test, and deploy the website. Taking the time to create a website roadmap will help ensure that your website is a success.

Working on a big project?

Bitovi's project management consultants are ready to support your project. Check out what we did for Yum!

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