Posts Tagged ‘design process’
The Design Process
So, you’ve decided you need a website. Perhaps you already have one, but it looks like it was designed in the mid-90s by your 14 year old son in Microsoft Word and maybe it’s time for a fresh start. What happens next?
The following is a general guide to the series of steps that Radar Maker follow in order to quickly move a website from the idea stage to finished article.
1. Initial contact
The first thing to do is to contact Radar Maker via phone or email. Our consultant will get a basic overview of the website you’re looking for, discuss the budget, and set up a meeting. At this stage, it’s a good idea to email us any information on the website so we can be properly briefed before the meeting.
2. Meeting
In the meeting, we discuss your requirements and advise on the various options available to you. Remember, you don’t need any technical knowledge - that’s our job. We need to get a good idea of what the site is for, who the audience is and what it is required to do. We’ll discuss the style and layout, what artwork you have, and what different functionality you need. Once we have an idea of all this, we can estimate a cost and time-frame for completing the project, and you can decide whether you want to move forward with us.
3. Planning
We then go off and plan the website based on the initial meeting and your ongoing input. You may need time to decide on various options, and to rework some content before a final plan is reached.
4. The spec sheet
Once a plan is agreed upon, we will create a spec sheet for you to sign off on. The ‘spec’ is a contract of work that outlines the structure and functionality of the website with a budget and development timeframe.
5. Initial design
The next step is to send us digital copies of your logo as well as photographs and branding material that will help us in creating a design. We then create a mock-up design and send it to you for comment. Changes are made at this stage and a final design is signed off, so that development can commence.
6. Development
At this point we code the website and any additional functionality outlined in the spec. We’ll keep you updated on the site’s progress, and send screenshots as required.
7. Final testing
Depending on the scale of the website, it may be necessary to upload it on a test server so that you can test it and make sure it’s working as you need it to, before it goes live.
8. Completion
The website is uploaded and everyone’s happy. Radar Maker can now advise you on additional services including online advertising and Search Engine Optimisation, so that you can start directing that all-important traffic to your website.
9. Ongoing Support
Radar Maker offer a range of service agreements to suit your needs. CMS websites require manditory security updates and therefore require ongoing support. We can also provide regular content updates and make any design updates you need at a later date.