Project definition.
The Project Definition phase allows me to identify your unique requirements, and to plan an outline for the project. This is done in three steps:
Project Analysis
I perform a detailed survey of your business. This analysis identifies the nature of the business, brand and other business attributes. It also determines the prospective goals and target audience.
Project Specifications
After gathering supporting information and with the help of the detailed survey, a project brief is written. This will show the necessary requirements for the website. It also helps me to further establish a work plan.
Project Outline
Finally, I divide the design and development processes into different phases and time frames and make a brief outline of the tasks for each phase. I then discuss the outline with you, and get approval to move on to the next stage.
Structural concepts of the website.
After the Project Definition phase, I lay out a website plan to identify the sections which need to be incorporated to the new site design. Things like:
Content Summary
Keeping in view the information gathered through the project analysis, making an outline of the site based on its goals and target audience. It includes writing, editing and categorizing the needed content.
Site Map
Generating the content outline helps me to develop a detailed site map. This site plan covers every possible aspect of the information gathered. It is a visual representation of the website structure.
Site Layout
Site layout is a non-graphical representation of a web page. It determines the elements that should be added on each page of the site such as images, content, functional elements like search, links, header, footer etc.
Visualizing the design.
Once the requirements gathering stage is complete, I then get to work to come up with sample web site designs and mock-ups.
Design Drafting
After several creative brainstorming sessions, I'm now ready with some visual designs. I then review the project specifications and site map to draft different design samples that meet the project goals.
Design Selection
After some more brainstorming sessions, further refining is done on the design drafts to improve them. Placement of elements is finalized, and color schemes are also decided.
Initial Mock-ups
The Design Selections are converted to final Mock-ups which I can then present to you for initial review, feedback and approval. I offer 3 - 4 sample mock designs for each project to give you a better choice.
Your feedback and approval.
The Initial Design Mock-ups for the website are then presented to you for feedback, revisions and updates. I value client feedback and require your comments, suggestions and approval at every step.
Obviously I won't move on to the next level unless the you approve a final design to be used as the new website design.
Website development.
Now that we are half way there, the next phase consists of three steps which are carried out for the website development process.
Conversion of the Design
The development phase is started by the conversion of the approved website design to HTML. Technical specifications like browser compatibility and other issues are also considered in this phase.
Webpage Programming
After the design conversion, the technical phase of website development is started which includes programming and coding of the pages, creation of templates, content pages, scripting, database coding and integration.
Coding the website involves several steps which include:
- CSS
- HTML
- Flash
- JavaScript
- Database Design
- Server Side Programming
- and many more
Content Writing
As the site begins to take shape, I start adding functionality to the converted design, along with copy content either collected by myself or provided by you and any images or graphics.
Trial assessment.
Quality Assurance
After the completion of the development phase, I run various tests and procedures for quality assurance to remove any bugs or errors in the website content and functionality. All functional elements are tested and debugged in addition to usability, accessibility and that w3c web standards are compliant.
Testing and Error Reporting
Once an initial review of the website is complete, the website is uploaded to the required staging URL for testing online. The website functionality is thoroughly checked once again.
Client Review
The final website URL is sent to you for review and suggestions. Any required changes are implemented on the website so that everything is delivered according to your requirements.
Final deployment.
After you review and approve the final website, I then upload the website from the staging URL to the actual domain where the website will work. Any deployment issues are also handled immediately to make the website launch as smooth and hassle free for you as possible. Congratulations your site is now live!
Promoting your site.
This is the marketing phase. Your site is now live and our objective is to attract customers. I will submit your site to search engines such as, Google, MSN and Yahoo! and any additional marketing plans (emails, newsletters…) are started.
Website maintenance.
Keeping your website fresh and up-to-date is the key to building and maintaining success. New copy and graphics, additional functionality, site expansion… many site elements may require changes. Depending on whether I developed a Content Management System for your project, I can either work on an hourly rate or arrange to maintain your website over a period of time.
Please contact me if you would like a free web consultation.
In this section is a compilation of my recommended web hosts as well as a list of FREE hosts...
W3C web standards, SEO and Web Accessibility are my top priorities.
This means you get a website that reaches the biggest possible audience. Find out more about why W3C compliance is important to you.
W3C explained.
W3C is a web compliant standard coding style that meets error free validation criteria and displays consistently in most if not all browsers. Validated sites will hold up against future browser updates which will save time and money.
Validated webpages are accessible, browser compatible, error free, fast loading, and properly indexed in the search engines.
Websites that do not pass validation display with glitches in different browsers, are not indexed properly or at all, load slower, and may not be accessible.
SEO explained.
Search Engine Optimisation is about getting more traffic by improving your rank in organic search. By organic search, I mean free search. So at it’s base, SEO is about getting free long-term exposure for your business.
SEO is about getting you ranked well and helping you profit from search engines.
- SEO brings traffic. As in, people looking at your business.
- SEO increases visibility, so your business can be found.
- If you set yourself up correctly you can benefit for years.
- SEO helps manage your company’s reputation online.
- SEO is a necessary step to marketing your business online.
Web accessibility explained.
Web accessibility is about making your website accessible to all Internet users (both disabled and non-disabled), regardless of what browsing technology they're using.
Web accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the Web, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurological disabilities.
