The way I precede when I’m developing any website, might be slightly different from what other companies or what other freelancers do when they take on a web project.
I first find out what your website will be about, or what your main focus would be. If your site is for a business, then I will ask you about what type of business, and what it’s all about or if your site falls under a certain type of industry. Information like this helps me out a lot, where I then do some research, to get an idea as to whom your competitors may be, or just to see how other sites look. From there I start to get some ideas, plus the information you tell me about how you want your site to look. After I know a little background information, I then ask about what sections / pages you would want to have. The names of each page will then become what is called your navigation for your site. The navigation is listed on all pages so your users can jump from one page to another with one simple click.
Once I know some basic information about your website project, and you send me some content to work with, such as images, logo image, and text. I then start on a PSD layout / design of your site. When I get a layout / design created I then save it as a JPG file, and email you the design to approve it, or if it needs to be changed until you are happy with the design / layout. After you have approved the design, I then take the PSD file and convert it into HTML and CSS.
After I get the PSD file converted to HTML and CSS, I then upload it to my own server, and email you a link so you can preview your website as to how it would look online. I will continue to use my own server, for you to preview your website as I am building it, until it is finished. Once your project is completed, I then ask you for FTP login access so I can upload your website to your own hosting server that is associated to your domain name. After that, your website is online and is able to be viewed by everyone in the world.