The Work We Do And How We Do It
Our Web Design and Development Process
We have designed our process with a proper Software Development Life Cycle framework. This
framework is designed to ensure quality of output and to also specifically overcome the three
challenges faced in Website Design and Development.
In our high-level project management, our websites now follow a consistent 4 step process, with the
same steps and standard communication. As you use our web development services, you will get
used to this process and enjoy its flow.
The purpose of this section is to provide you with a feel
for the flow of the website design and development we do and also to give you an understanding of
how you should work with our team to get the best results possible.
The steps in the processes are:
- Project Setup and Briefing Phase
- Website Design Phase
- This phase includes 3 alteration opportunities to perfect the design
- Website Development Phase
- This phase includes 3 alteration opportunities to perfect the website
- Website Promotion and Go Live Phase
- This step includes our 18 point quality check in the live environment
The Brief, Collateral, Content and Logins
To successfully complete any project with a minimum of delays, we ask that you provide the
requirements we need for the entire project, as soon as you can. Often things like content and logins
are the things that hold up a project. The items that are most critical are:
Our Brief:
Once we send you the brief, we ask that you fill it out in a timely fashion, completely. The more
information you give in the brief, the smoother the design phase of the project will run. We will not
start design work without a complete brief.
Logins for Hosting:
Please supply the logins for the server that will host the website earlier rather than later. This gives
us the opportunity to test the server for size, speed and configuration before we start loading the
live website. If we have the opportunity to check this at the start of a project, it gives you weeks to
resolve potential issues in advance, rather than finding issues at the end of the project causing
delays in delivery.
Collateral:
Logos, images and any other collateral for the website delivered early, will ensure a smooth design
and development process.
Content:
This is often the biggest hold up for a website project. Preparing content is a time consuming task. It
should be worked on from the start of the project so it is ready for implementation as soon as the
Development Phase begins. Typically you have 2 weeks to collate all content prior to us requiring it.
Within our processes we have included standard communications at the critical points where non
delivery of these items by you will result in an extension of the delivery date of the project. Please
try and ensure timely delivery of all requirements, but respect that in cases where there is a holdup
at your end, to ensure the quality of our process and deliverables, we will need additional time to
complete the website.
Communication and Sharing Screens:
While it is sometimes difficult for our team to sit next to you and “point” to the website as we go
through the design and development phases, we certainly have the tools available to do this
technologically. As such we have integrated standard “Skype” or Online Meetings within our
processes, to ensure we have the opportunity to work together, to deliver a timely and quality
project. We find that the best, smoothest projects are the ones where clients embrace these
opportunities and use the time to work closely with us to progress the projects. Conversely, the
projects where these meetings are avoided by clients tend to result in projects that require more
alteration cycles and a longer timeframe for successful completion.
Alterations and Attention:
To Detail
In our website projects, in both the design phase and the development phase, we have 3 cycles of
review and alterations to get the websites done to your satisfaction. To ensure quality and an
attention to detail for each cycle, we have developed the following review process:
- All these changes will be managed on a Google Spreadsheet. You will be given
access to this spreadsheet at the beginning of the project and you are welcome
to use it to input all your changes.
- Collate all your changes at each cycle.
- Designer/developer will
make the changes and sign them off in the spreadsheet as complete
- Review the change and counter sign if everything is done to satisfaction. This checkpoint is
aimed at ensuring a quality completion of all tasks, before sending back to you.
- Once the work has been completed and reviewed successfully, it will be sent back to you for
final sign off. Please review and provide final approval at your earliest convenience. As a
general point we have implemented this internal two part approval system for all website
work undertaken. We recognise the massive time burden poorly managed website projects
can be to you, so we continue to look for ways to minimise the burden on your time. The
major thing that causes absorption of time with website projects is excessive back and forth,
alterations and updates. The Skype meetings and our two point quality checks are both
designed to minimise the back and forth, thereby streamlining delivery of the end product.
Changes of Scope
Occasionally we find that a project changes scope midway through the process. There are two
scenarios when this occurs:
- A project will grow, with additional requirements being added to the original brief
- A project will completely change direction In the first scenario, our process will highlight the
scope changes and provide a quote and review of delivery timelines for inclusion in the
existing project. You will have the opportunity to accept the new costs and delivery timelines
or revert back to the original scope. Often a preferred option is to complete the initial
project, then complete the additions as a Post Implementation project. In the second
scenario, we will revert to and review the project briefing phase of our project process with
you and depending on the extent of the change in direction, potentially restart the project.
Again, you will be provided with a new quote (which will include the time already spent on
the original project) and deadline. You will have the opportunity to accept the new costs and
delivery timelines or revert back to the original scope.
