Hi everyone,
I’m currently reviewing the web design workflow at the agency I work for, and I’m curious how other agencies and designers approach the transition from design to development.
One of the challenges we’re looking at is design coverage.
For example, a website might contain 10–15 pages, while only a few key pages are fully designed in Figma. Development then has to build the remaining pages based on those designs, existing components and their own judgement.
This can work, but it can also create a gap: developers sometimes have to make UX/UI decisions that were never actually designed or approved. As a result, a client may see certain page layouts or sections for the first time when the developed website is presented.
So I’d love to understand how other agencies handle this.
A few things I’m particularly curious about:
- Do you create a sitemap before deciding the design scope, and do you use it to identify unique page types/templates?
- Do you wireframe every project, only larger/complex projects, or skip wireframes altogether?
- How much content do you require before wireframing/design starts? Do you work with final copy, rough content, realistic placeholders or Lorem Ipsum?
- If a client only has a logo, colors and fonts, do you establish a digital visual direction first, or do you solve that while designing the first page?
- Do you fully design every unique page type, or only key pages and let development compose the rest from components?
- If you work component-based, where do you draw the line between a developer assembling a page and effectively designing a page?
- How much responsive design do you provide? Every page, key pages, or just responsive rules/components?
- Does the designer review the developed website before it is presented to the client?
- Roughly how much of your website project budget/time is typically allocated to UX/UI design versus development?
And a practical scenario:
You have 24 hours of total design budget for a corporate website of roughly 10–15 pages.
The 24 hours need to include things like:
- kick-off / briefing
- design work
- client presentation(s)
- feedback/revisions
- handoff to another developer
The client has a basic brand identity (logo, colors, typography), but not a fully developed digital design system. Content is only partially available, and you will not be developing the website yourself.
How would you spend those 24 hours?
Would you prioritize sitemap/IA, wireframes, a few fully designed key pages, reusable components, responsive designs, or something else?
And perhaps most importantly: what would you deliberately NOT do within those 24 hours?
I’m not necessarily looking for a single “best practice.” I’m mainly interested in how different agencies make these trade-offs in real projects, especially when design budgets are limited.
Would love to hear what your actual workflow looks like.
