One thing that we have found when designing large-scale websites is that if the team is not assigned deadlines, things tend to flounder a little. Things don't get done as quickly as they should, and releases of new or updated websites can take much longer than they need to. On the flipside, if deadlines are too strict, the quality of the website degrades very quickly to meet them.

In order for a production website to reach the optimal time vs. quality ratio, reasonable deadlines need to be set. Try to set internal deadlines - such as the date by which the graphics designer should have the title image done - as well as external deadlines - such as when the site should have its first draft done and will be ready for testing. Good deadlines and estimated completion dates will make your clients and your team happier to know the time schedule for the site.