When working on a Web project with any company make sure they have a process in place. The following steps out line the process we follow when your Website is developed. We start with a discovery survey prior to beginning this process. After the initial sales meeting an estimate is provided based on the requirements gathered and then a signed contract is put in place to move forward with the additional steps. The better prepared you are at your sales meeting the more accurate your estimate will be, reducing the need for changes later on in the project.
1. Sales Meeting - Meet with stake holders to discuss needs for your project. During this initial discovery process we will ask questions and gather basic informatio
2. Estimate Prepared - We prepare an estimate and contract based on the requirements gathered during the sales and initial discovery process.
3. Discovery – This step is usually part of larger CMS projects and may be necessary if you are not certain of your over all needs. This Discovery research will be performed at an additional cost to determine your needs.
4. Client Survey – The Client Survey further describes your business goals and objectives to the project management team.
5. Kickoff Meeting – The project team translates your business goals in to Web goals gathered through project discussion(s). The results will be presented at the project kickoff meeting.
6. Information Architecture – We will create a Flow Chart and Wire Frames of your site to make sure the main elements are represented.
7. Technical Specifications - Define how the Content Management System (CMS) will be developed. What components (modules) will be implemented. Define integration points with 3rd party software.
8. Design – The design process starts when 2-3 graphic illustrations “comps” are presented to the client for review, feedback and approval. Home page and sub-page designs then follow for finalized look and feel.
9. Development - The site is developed and built out based on Flow chart, Wire Frames and Technical Specifications.
10. Production – All content is delivered by client and added to the site pages. Additional build out of sub sites is completed.
11. QA – Since every site is unique the site is tested to make sure integrations are working and that the site functions in all major Web browsers.
12. Deployment - Instructions and training on site usage and site is pushed live. Once the site is live additional updates are performed on maintenance basis.
This is a proven process that will nail down the requirements for your project. If you have prepared any of these steps before hand you are ahead of the game. Any changes made after the Technical Specifications are approved usually will require a scope change request. The additional Discovery in step three may be necessary to validate that you are meeting the needs of your internal and external customers.
