Jesse James Garrett's text The Elements of User Experience is an excellent resource for learning the basics of web design. His approach to web design focuses the designer on the needs of the User. Through the five planes, Garrett breaks down the page you see before you into fundamental requirements for a successful page.
The Strategy Plane starts with the kernal of an idea. The focus that you place on the strategy plane should begin with the needs of your users. Those users can encompass several audiences, including colleagues and other stakeholders. Choosing, as a collective, who your primary user is essential to this plane.
The Scope Plane is the element where you can make a list of those items that would be ideal for your site, and pare them down to what is absolutely necessary.
The Structure Plane is where you should get a pen and paper and sketch out your ideal page schematic. A blueprint to the site, this will be the nervous system of the site, connecting pages and ideas in logical and planned ways.
The Skeleton Plane acts as the bones of an individual page. Mapping out the layout of the page, this plane results in the framework of the site.
The Surface Plane could arguably be the most amusing. Through images, color, and fonts the tone of the site is set. The first impressions of your site are also presented on this plane.
Now that you've had a chance to familiarize yourself with the planes, look to the left for continued guidance on the importance of each.
Jesse James Garrett's The Elements of User Experience: Chapter 2
