The basic first steps of web design are often overlooked, and IA (to me) is one of them. Think & research first, then design around the results – not the other way around.

I can recommend Axure as a wireframing/prototyping tool. It’s a bit expensive, but you get what you pay for.

I know this blog post isn’t really the place for this, but it may also be worth alluding to the next step of design (rather than jumping into build): usability testing. Admittedly, this doesn’t really apply to small/personal sites, but the bigger a company you are – and/or the more serious you are about making money – then usability is really key in getting the best out of your design templates. It needn’t be expensive either.

Now for the shameless plug: I’ve reviewed plenty of sites on my blog (Planet Anarky); could be worth a read if you’re bored.