WebsiteDesignOutsource.com blog
How to Prioritize Pages in an Outsourced Website Redesign
Use audience need, business purpose, evidence, and dependencies to decide which website pages deserve attention first.
When every page is marked urgent, an outsourced design project has no useful sequence. Page priority should follow the site's job and the evidence behind it, not the loudest request in the review thread.
Score the page's purpose
Record the audience task, business outcome, current problem, and confidence in the evidence. A page that explains a central service and blocks several journeys usually deserves earlier attention than an isolated announcement.
Record dependencies
Some pages depend on approved navigation, content, redirects, or a shared component. Note those relationships before setting dates. A page can have high importance but still need another decision first.
Keep a decision log
Write the chosen order, the reason, and the person who approved it. If priorities change, add the new reason rather than silently moving work. The history helps the designer understand whether a change affects one page or the whole structure.
Review the list at milestones
Revisit page priority after discovery and after the first content review. New evidence may change the order. Do not turn every new idea into an interruption.
Further reading
Use a content inventory before design
Control scope during website design outsourcing
Source
GOV.UK Service Manual, prioritising work
Frequently asked questions
Should the homepage always come first?
Not automatically. Start with the page or dependency that gives the next decision the most useful information.
How many priority levels are enough?
Three levels are usually easier to maintain than a detailed score that nobody updates. Explain the reason behind each level.