Site Development Process
We've said it repeatedly, but it bears saying again: every client is different, and every web site is different. There are many variables, from how large the project is, to how clear you are regarding your needs.
Nonetheless, there are various stages within the development process which are held in common by almost every project, and understanding the process will help both of us as we work together, both in preparation and progressive development. A web project is a responsibility for both developer and client, and it really helps to be on the same page.
Given that, here's a very rough overview of what you can expect.
- Initial contact. The extent of this contact may be determined by your previous familiarity with our work.
- Questionnaire. We always ask clients to complete our questionnaire prior to proceeding. (Questionnaire is pdf; if you need the Adobe Reader, please click here.) This questionnaire is certainly not exhaustive, but it greatly aids us - and you - in conceptualizing project scope and purpose. It will help you prioritize and understand what you will need to provide us. We also highly recommend that you review our terms and conditions.
- Contractual agreement. This will be preceded by an estimate in the case of custom
sites.
- Down payment. (See terms.)
- Finalization of site structure.
- You begin providing us with page content. (Failure to provide content in a timely manner may require that you pay your balance prior to site completion. See our terms and conditions.)
- We register your domain. (We are listed as administrative contacts if you plan to host with us. Ownership is in your name and you can transfer registrars at any time.)
- Background research as necessary. (E.g. consideration of other sites in your field.)
- Page design. (If you have a custom site with multiple designs, we will be working
on a theme and predominant page structure at this point.) We work on this until you are satisfied.
- Second stage payment. (See terms.)
- Testing and debugging the page on various platforms and browsers.
- Implementation: the content starts to go on the pages. We edit grammar and spelling. (We also offer fuller scale copy writing for additional cost. See
our "Services" page.)
- Balance paid and site goes live. (Note: larger custom sites will require payment at progressive stages of the project.)
- We provide you with three month's free hosting.
Please understand that we cannot hope to provide a comprehensive guide covering every circumstance.
Feel free to contact us if you have further questions.
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