Follow the visitor’s journey
Open the website without the team’s familiar shortcuts: find a service, follow the contact links and complete the available actions. Check that errors and completed steps are clear. Pay particular attention to anything connected with real enquiries.
Check content and access
Remove sample dates, temporary contact details and draft promises. Confirm image rights and that documents are current. The people responsible should have access to the domain, hosting and website administration, rather than having to search old conversations for it.
Plan for life after launch
Decide who will monitor errors and where enquiries will arrive. Keep a way to restore the previous version. Use the first few days to check real operation, rather than immediately adding new features.