How long does it take to design a website?

If you’re in a hurry to get a new website designed–well, we have to be honest with you. You might be out of luck. Good design is not something that unfolds overnight. You may not intend to agonize over every inch of white space or test out every Google font, but it’s important to put thought into your goals otherwise the effort you’re able to put toward your redesign won’t be as effective. Here are some factors that will affect how long your redesign will take.

• How long it’s been since you last did a design/redesign
• If you’re adding functionality or doing a facelift (or both?)
• How much time you’re able to dedicate to planning and providing feedback
• How much of your existing content you plan to revise

The passage of time works against you (and most things).

The longer it’s been since you’ve done a redesign the longer it will likely take you to design a new one. It’s like cleaning house–the longer you’ve let the cob webs build up the longer it will take to clean surfaces and declutter.

This being said, it doesn’t mean you can’t speed up (and not hinder) the process.

1. Get over yourself (no offense).

We mean this in the best way possible. Putting the needs and perceived preferences of your target audience will make decisions easier and faster. If all you want your customers to do is make a purchase on your site you don’t need an oversized logo and a picture of your puppy on the front page. Clear objectives make for clear decisions and ultimately a more positive experience for your users.

2. Work together

If you’ve decided to hire a web-design agency to create and build a new site you’ll need to be readily available to provide feedback and answer questions. Don’t get impatient with them if you become buried in the day-to-day of your business. If your agency has a well outlined process, you should know what to expect as milestones are met.

3. Organize your content

If you’re rebuilding your house but all the furniture is disintegrating you’re not creating a very usable space. In the same vein, a website redesign means rethinking every aspect of your site–including the text content on the pages. Plan to reorganize and possibly rewrite the content you already have while the design is in process so you can hand it over to your agency before the buildout phase begins.

With so many factors to consider, how long does it take to design a website? On average, a website will take 12 to 16 weeks. On the long side it could take up to 6 months if the scope of work changes or an important team member from either side goes on a leave of absence.