What if designing a new website was the same as shopping for a new car? It would probably be as involved and scary as watching this guy tell you how to buy a new car.

Bad shirt collar aside, there are many similarities between how we buy cars and how we should go about planning the next great website.

eHow mentions 3 stages to buying a car: planning, shopping and testing. Interestingly enough, building a website also takes planning, shopping and testing, with a bit of development in the middle.

Planning:

Planning is about answering a few questions such as why, what, when and how. Why do I want to buy a new car? What car would I prefer. How many more silly questions can I ask? But bear with me. These same types of questions should be asked before commissioning a new website. However, most people I work with jump directly to the “How?” and skip the “Why?.” They want a fabulous website, like another they’ve seen, but forget to mention why.

Most people who discuss a website idea with me describe the Lamborghini Reventon of websites. Upon discussing the core objectives it turns out they need the high mpg, and great reliability that most Japanese cars can provide, at an affordable price (to the average consumer). There is generally a disconnect between what they envision and what may work best for them and their budget.

I do understand that people abhor the idea of paying for a website what they’d pay for a car.  I know people in the web development industry whose clients emphatically said they refuse to pay for a website what they’d pay for a car.  But truly, if you want the Lamborghini of websites, it will come with a similar price-tag. The site may get you fame but not necessarily more revenue than a well-designed, reliable, usability-sensitive site. Generally, you can go with a Honda, Toyota or Lexus that will reliably get you where you need to be and beyond, at an affordable cost (affordable insurance too).

Once the objectives are clear it’s time to shop.

Shopping:

Shop around for the best agency that can deliver on your objectives. The eHow article describes preparations to “negotiate”  without actually mentioning the word.

Here are some more direct tips on how to decide on a web design company.

Development:

Get your requirements together in a clear, well-detailed yet organized format and support the designers and developers in transferring your goals and objectives into the website they’re developing. When purchasing a car there is limited room for customization. Depending on your budget, you may have little room for “special treatment” but if there is some take full advantage of it.

Testing:

Unlike buying a car where test-driving happens before buying, website quality testing comes toward the end of the process, yet it’s highly important. That’s why the eHow article mentions 18 steps in the testing process. A well designed website should also pass rigorous testing. What’s the use of a pretty site if it doesn’t work?

And this question leads right back to where we started. Most businesses want great looking sites. A great looking site doesn’t necessarily mean a site that drives most revenue. If you don’t care about the cost of the site, just as those who buy million dollar cars don’t care about the cost, then go for the Lamborginini of websites. But if your measure of success is to increase revennue or another of the more common business objectives, it’s advisable to go with an efficient site that directly addresses your business objectives.