The 6 Stages of Web Design & Development.

It's important to be aware of milestones during any project. This ranges from gathering information, devising a strategy, to even ongoing maintenance to ensure your website has the latest content.

Stage 1: Gathering Information

The first step in designing a successful web site is always to gather information. Many things need to be taken into consideration like the nature of your business, who are your customers and even who are your competitors.

Some questions I may ask:

• What is the purpose of your site?
  Do you want to provide information, promote a service or sell a product? What do you hope to accomplish by building this web site? The most common goals would be to generate revenue or share information.
• Is there a specific demographic to your audience?
  It is helpful to picture your ideal audience because this will later help me determine the best design style for your web site.
• Also,what kind of information will the target audience be looking for?
  Are they looking for specific information or a particular product or service?

Stage 2: The Planning

Using the information gathered from stage 1, eadesigner will put together a plan for your web site. I will develop a site map which serves as a guide for content, navigation, and continuity. This is also the point where we can decide what technologies should be implemented such as interactive forms, eCommerce and even Flash.

Stage 3: The Design

eadesigner will now determine the look and feel for your web site based on the information gathered up until this point. The target audience plays a key roll in designing your web site. For instance, a web site designed for an online business would need a different look than one designed for teens.

Once a first draft is designed, you are given access to my WorkSite, which is a secure area for viewing the progress of your job. This allows you to view your project throughout the design and development stages. Most importantly, it gives you the opportunity to express your likes and dislikes on the site design. In this phase, communication is crucial to ensure that the final web site will match your needs and taste.

Stage 4: The Development

This is when the web site itself is created. Using the elements created during the design stage, I use them to create the actual site with functional links. This stage will also incorporate all the content from your previous web site.

Elements such as JavaScript rollovers, interactive forms, or ecommerce are implemented and made functional during this stage. Throughout the process, you will be able to view your site by signing into WorkSite, and suggest any additional changes or corrections you would like to have done.

Stage 5: Testing and Delivery

At this point I will iron out the final details and test your web site for errors such as broken links, the complete functionality of forms or other scripts and compatibility issues to ensure that the site is optimized properly for the most recent browser versions.

Once I receive your final approval, it is time to deliver the web site. I use an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) program to upload the files to your server. If you don't already have one, I can give you a complete list of the top 5 web hosting providers. Once the site is in your hands, I will quickly test again to make sure that all files have been uploaded correctly, and that the site continues to be fully functional. This marks the official launch of your site, as it is now viewable to the public.

Stage 6: Regular Maintenance

One way to bring repeat visitors to your site is to offer new content or products on a regular basis. If this interests you, I will be more than happy to continue working together with you to update the information on your web site. I offer maintenance packages at reduced rates, based on how often you anticipate making changes or additions to your web site.

Other articles:

• Web Site Design & Development Milestones
• Print Design Milestones
• Motion Development Milestones