Web Development Lifecycle

Phase 1. Contact/Requirements

Once a client contacts us we immediately address time and scope issues to determine the best approach to the new project. Once we are sure that we will meet the client's schedule, we set up a meeting or conference call to go over the requirements for the project. This initial meeting is also designed to set the client at ease and to address many of the upfront questions a client will inevitably have.

From this first meeting, we will bring the initial requirements back to the studio where we will draw up more detail and generate more questions to take to the client for our second requirements meeting. This meeting is intended to finalize the detailed requirements and draw up a detailed project scope for the client. THis scope will drive the remainder of the development and will establish our deadlines and budgets for the project.

Phase 2. Design/Re-Design

We call this the design/re-design phase because we will visit this phase as many times as necessary to make the client happy. During the design phase our designers will come up with an overall look and feel for the new site using existing marketing materials and our detailed requirements as a guide.

Generally we will come up with a couple of variations on the design for the client to view. From this initial mock-up we will generate a final design for the client and present it for final approval.

Phase 3. Implementation

After the client signs off on the design, our web designers create the graphics and start 'coding' the web site. Once the coding is complete we will publish the site to a testing server (either the clients or our own) for the client to view.

Once the site is published, we will set up another meeting to review the site with the client (generally about a week after it's uploaded to the testing environment so the client has time to use the site) in detail, addressing any issues that arrise in the meeting. At this stage we encourage our clients to make decisions on changes to information and design.

With new directives from the client, our web designers will implement these changes and contact the client for approval. Once the client is happy and gives the go ahead the development is taken to the Testing phase.

Phase 4. Testing

We complete a series of comprehensive tests on all of our sites before we officially launch them for the world to see. Our team of testers will put the site through a battery of tests designed to point out any issues that have been missed up to this point.

Once we have satisfied all tests, the site is transfered to the clients' web server (either on our network or theirs).

Phase 5. Delivery

The delivery stage is just that... Delivery. We publish your site, perform additional tests to ensure it is working properly on the new server environment, submit your site to all relevant search engines and then contact the client to let them know the new site is 'live' and ready to go.

Phase 6. Maintenance (Optional)

Once your site is live, you'll want to keep the content fresh and up to date. You'll also want to maintain email addresses, site traffic, etc. so you can maximize your site's potential.

For a small monthly fee we will keep your site up-to-date, manage your email, deliver monthly statistics on site usage, perform optimization and provide hosting. This service will give you the peace of mind in knowing that your site is in the hands of professionals yet you won't have to shell out big money for the service.

Below is a graphical representation of the entire process.