When I design a website I consider more things than just pretty images and colour. A website needs to be carefully planned in order to fulfil its site goals.
When I develop a website I follow a workflow which includes planning and definition, information architecture, site design, site construction and last but not least maintenance. I carefully consider what the audience wants from the site, what information should be included and how to arrange the content to best meet their needs.
There is a lot of information and research about users habits which are very important to know about in order to cater for the users in the best possible way. I also want the design to make a statement of who you are and make users understand what they can achieve by using your site.