The Web Project Guide: From Spark to Launch and Beyond is a comprehensive manual, podcast, and resource created by Corey Vilhauer (Director of Strategy at Blend Interactive) and Deane Barker (Senior Director of Content Management Strategy at Optimizely). It is designed to bridge knowledge gaps across the web development lifecycle by connecting strategy, content design, technical implementation, and long-term site upkeep.

The guide structures the web project lifecycle across 24 sequential chapters:

• Project Scoping & Strategy (Chapters 1–6): Establishes project scope, aligns team expectations, forms multi-disciplinary project teams, maps project plans, and defines target audiences and measurable outcomes.

• Content Inventory & Modeling (Chapters 7–12): Audits existing content, gathers insights from analytics, defines content strategy, organizes site structures, models structured content, and provides guidelines for writing for humans and search engines.

• Design & Technical Selection (Chapters 13–18): Covers interface and graphic design, integration requirements, Content Management System (CMS) selection, hosting infrastructure, and choosing integration partners.

• Development, Migration & Testing (Chapters 19–22): Guides front-end design implementation, back-end functionality building, content migration, and site testing prior to launch.

• Post-Launch Operations & Governance (Chapters 23–24): Details post-launch operational rules, continuous site maintenance, and the process of transitioning a web build from a temporary project into an ongoing product.