How to create an adaptive website: A step-by-step plan for success

Alright, it’s time to get down to business.

We’ve talked a lot about what adaptive websites are, their benefits, and the key elements that make them work. Now, it’s time to focus on how to actually create one. After all, that’s what we’re here for. That’s our goal.

But here’s the thing—every goal needs a plan.

I know making plans isn’t everyone’s favorite thing. You might be someone who says, "I’ve planned every detail of my week and I’m ahead of schedule," or you might be more like, “I planned to plan, but... well, it’s a bit too late for that.” Me? I’m somewhere in between—organized in some areas, a bit chaotic in others.

But when it comes to building an adaptive website, though, there’s no room for chaos. A clear, structured plan is essential—and the good news is, we’ve got one ready for you, no matter your planning style.

A good plan consists of a series of steps and points to follow, making sure you stay on track and cover all the necessary areas to build a successful adaptive website.

In this case, the plan is built around three key pillars: people, process, and technology.

The "people" part means assembling a skilled team with well-defined roles, ensuring everyone knows their responsibilities.

The "process" refers to the structured approach that guides the project from start to finish, helping you stay organized and focused.

And finally, "technology" is about choosing the right tools and platforms that enable your team to execute the vision effectively.

Each of these elements is a crucial piece of the puzzle. By following this plan, you’re not just guessing your way through the project; you’re following a clear path that ensures everything works together to create an adaptive website that serves your audience’s needs.

As many say, people really are the beating heart of any business.

Building an adaptive website starts with having the right people on your team. No matter the size of your group—whether it’s a small team handling multiple tasks or a larger one with specialized roles—having skilled individuals in key positions makes all the difference.

In an ideal setup, there are a few essential roles that every adaptive website project should include.

The Strategist defines the overall vision, setting clear goals and aligning them with business objectives and user needs. The UX/UI Designer focuses on creating user-friendly designs that adapt to different audience segments, boosting engagement. A Content Creator is vital for developing personalized, optimized content tailored to these segments. The Developer ensures the technical backbone is strong, building a responsive, secure website capable of delivering dynamic, personalized content. A Data Analyst uses data to identify audience segments and refine performance, while the Marketer ensures that campaigns are effective, engaging visitors, and meeting content goals.

As renowned management expert Peter Drucker once said, “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.”

A solid process ensures you’re not only doing things the right way but also focusing on what truly matters. It provides clarity, keeps your team aligned, and transforms ambitious ideas into actionable steps.

When it comes to adaptive websites, the process is especially crucial, as it ensures every element comes together easily to create a dynamic, user-focused platform. This is broken into three main phases: strategic planning, agile development, and continuous optimization.

The first phase, strategic planning, is where you lay the foundation for your project. This involves defining a clear vision, mapping customer journeys, and making high-level design and technical decisions. It’s all about setting the stage for success with a roadmap everyone can follow.

Before diving into development, it's also crucial to align with all stakeholders. Present your high-level plans, gather feedback, and make any necessary adjustments. This ensures everyone is on the same page. After that, break everything down into smaller tasks by creating a product backlog. This helps organize the work and keeps the project focused. If you want to dive deeper into this topic, check out our in-depth article about strategic planning.

Next comes agile development, where your team takes the prioritized work from the planning stage and brings it to life through iterative sprints. It starts with sprint planning, where tasks like setting up data collection, defining visitor segments, and building tracking systems are prioritized.

During execution, the team works on these tasks, reviews progress, and reflects on improvements in retrospectives. With solid strategic planning in place, this phase ensures adaptive features are implemented, setting a strong foundation for your website’s launch.

Finally, there’s continuous optimization, the phase where your website keeps improving after launch. For an adaptive website, this means leveraging tools like A/B testing and personalization experiments. The team identifies opportunities, prioritizes them based on potential impact, and runs tests with clear hypotheses, variants, and KPIs.

Metrics like click-through rates and conversion rates are tracked to evaluate performance, and insights are fed back into the development process. This phase ensures your adaptive website stays effective, relevant, and user-focused over time.

The final key element step in building your adaptive website is selecting the right tech stack to support it. You have two main options: a multi-system setup or a headless CMS with personalization capabilities.

A multi-system setup combines specialized tools like a headless CMS, customer data platform (CDP), and personalization engine. This approach offers top-tier features, flexibility, and scalability, making it ideal for larger projects or organizations with complex personalization needs. However, it requires more effort to integrate and maintain these systems, and the costs can add up.

On the other hand, a headless CMS with personalization capabilities simplifies everything by combining content management and personalization in one platform. It’s faster to implement, easier to manage, and more cost-effective, though it may not offer the same level of customization as a multi-tool approach.

The choice between these two options depends on the size and complexity of your project, as well as your team’s resources and priorities.

If you’re ready to boost your online presence, it’s time to consider creating an adaptive website. Our comprehensive guide will walk you through the process, helping you create an experience that’s as unique as your users. The future of websites is all about being personal and dynamic, so don’t fall behind!

Check out our Complete Guide to Creating Adaptive Websites and start making a website that truly connects with your audience.

Every user’s journey is personal. Make your website reflect it.