I'm starting the planning phase for a completely new website and feel overwhelmed. Everyone says to "start with a sitemap," but how do you actually begin when facing a blank slate? Do you use a specific tool, and how do you decide on the main categories? Looking for a practical step-by-step approach.
The blank page is the hardest part! My process is to start with a content inventory, even if it's just sticky notes on a wall. I list every piece of content or functionality needed, then group them into logical clusters based on user goalsthese become your top-level categories. For the actual structuring, I highly recommend a guide focused on creating a site map that walks through techniques like card sorting and shows how to visualize the hierarchy. It emphasizes that a sitemap is a communication tool to align your team and stakeholders on the site's structure before any design begins, which saves countless hours later.