Small Business Project Planner | SCS Creative Systems

Step 1 of 3

What feels harder than it should?

Select every problem that is actually happening. Starting rough is fine.

Website / customer-facingWhat customers see and use

My website looks outdatedThe public experience no longer represents the business. It is hard to use on phonesReading, navigation, or contact actions are cramped. Customers cannot quickly understand usThe offer, service area, or next step is unclear. People have trouble contacting usThe useful contact path is missing or difficult. We do not have a useful websiteSocial pages or listings are doing all the work. Important information is outdatedServices, photos, hours, or details need correction. I am unsure who controls the site or domainOwnership and update access are unclear.

Inquiry and intakeWhat happens when someone asks for help

Customers send incomplete informationThe first request does not include what the team needs. I ask the same questions repeatedlyThe initial intake could be more consistent. Requests arrive through too many placesMessages, calls, forms, and social channels do not converge. I need a better request formThe current form is missing, awkward, or not useful. I manually organize every inquiryUseful details need repeated cleanup after arrival. Information gets lost before work beginsOwnership, status, or the next action is unclear.

Repetitive administrationPredictable computer work

I copy the same information between placesApps, files, messages, or records repeat the same data. I repeatedly clean up spreadsheetsFormatting, sorting, or reconciliation keeps returning. I manually sort incoming informationPredictable records need review and routing. I repeat the same follow-up processThe sequence is familiar but still needs oversight. I recreate the same documentsA repeated output starts from the same information. Repeated work still needs human reviewEfficiency matters, but a person must stay in control.

Existing-system improvementKeep useful pieces

My tools do not work together wellThe current system has useful parts and awkward handoffs. The website mostly worksIt needs targeted improvements, not automatic replacement. Forms, sheets, or processes need cleanupThe structure exists but is difficult to operate. I do not want to replace everythingPreserving what works is an explicit requirement. Things mostly work; I want to avoid overbuildingA useful answer may be to leave the system alone.

UncertaintyYou are allowed not to know yet

I am not sure what the actual problem isI need help separating symptoms from causes. Something is inefficient, but I do not know what should changeThe current process needs to be mapped first. I only have an idea right nowThere may not be enough detail for a useful scope yet.

Step 2 of 3

What does the current situation look like?

Answer what you can. This improves the recommendation without turning the planner into an intake wall.

General business type optional People involved optional

Do customers contact you online?YesNoNot sure

Current websiteNo useful websiteExists, but needs major helpMostly worksWorks wellNot sure

Do you control the site and domain?YesNoNot sureNot applicable

How often does the problem happen?DailyWeeklyMonthlyOccasionallyNot sure

What happens today? optional What would be better? optional Current tools or process optional Imported Website Fit Check notes optional and editable

Step 3 of 3

Where should a person stay in control?

Automation can remove repetition without removing judgment. Choose the boundaries that matter.

Keep human review or approval before:

Customer communicationA person decides before a message is sent. PublishingA person approves public content or changes. Changing recordsA person checks consequential updates. Handling exceptionsUnusual or sensitive cases leave the standard path. No automation neededThe goal is clarity or cleanup, not automated action. Not sure yetKeep approval in place until the workflow is understood.

What absolutely must remain human-controlled? optional What should not be replaced? optional

Practical automation boundarySCS does not assume that customer messages, payments, publishing, record changes, or sensitive decisions should happen without human review.

1 of 3

Preliminary Project Planning Notes

Project direction

Likely path

Planning guidance

Problem

Current process

Desired outcome

Possible scope

Keep human-controlled

Inputs or access likely needed later

Never provide passwords, recovery codes, payment details, or private credentials through this planner.

What could wait

Questions still unresolved

Website uncertainty remainsRun the Website Fit Check before assuming a rebuild.

It can separate targeted fixes from a larger refresh or rebuild and return here with an editable summary.

Run Website Fit Check

This is preliminary planning guidance based only on your answers. It is not a quote, proposal, contract, appointment, project approval, project start, or authorization for billing. Nothing was submitted or sent automatically.

Start with what is getting in the way.

Turn business friction into a first useful scope.