Our Process

As with any large-scale project, successful web development projects are those that proceed methodically, step-by-step. This ensures that a strong foundation is laid before the real work begins.


Phase 1: Discussions

During this phase, we talk with you (in person or by phone) about why you want a website, what results you want your website to achieve, and who you are trying to reach. This allows us to better anticipate your needs.

By the end of the discussion phase, we hope to have a good idea of the scope and structure of the site you want, as well as a feeling for your tastes in websites. We will also put together a sitemap listing all of the pages your new site will have.

Once we have all of the information we need, we move on to the Graphic Design phase.

Phase 2: Graphic Design

Before we can put together a website for you, we must decide how the site is going to look and feel. The Graphic Design phase is very much like an architect drawing up plans for a house; without these plans, there would be no hope of getting what you want.

We will create a picture of what the website will look like. Like a blueprint, this picture allows us to come to an understanding about what will be built before we actually start putting everything together. Once we have completed the design, we will show you this picture for your approval.

Included in the price of a graphic design are two revisions of the graphic design. This gives you a chance to make any changes necessary before we proceed to the graphic design phase. If you need more than two revisions, we can work out a price for the additional revisions. In most cases, however, we find that two revisions are sufficient.

Once we have received final, written approval of the graphic design, we can proceed to the Site Construction phase.

Phase 3: Site Construction

If the graphic design is like a blueprint for your site, then site construction is like putting up the walls. Based on the graphic design and the sitemap we built in the discussion phase, we will begin building out the pages into a real website.

Before we can begin, we will need to have all of your content in electronic form (i.e. email or word file; not a print-out). Any photos or illustrations will also need to be gathered at this time.

Once we have the materials we need, we will construct your site. We start by making a template page that looks just like your graphic design. When the template looks right in the most common browsers, we begin building each of the static (content only) pages in your sitemap, as well as mocking up what the programmed sections will look like when complete.

As we go, we will make sure that your site will be understood by search engines.

Once we have received final, written approval of the site construction, we move on to application programming.

Phase 4: Application Programming

Application Programming is to Site Construction as putting in plumbing. It's possible to have a website without any programming, so your site may skip this step. During the programming phase, we will make the mockups actually work the way they're supposed to.

Once we have received final, written approval of the programming, we can begin the launch process.

Phase 5: Launch

This is when we make your new site available to the public. Once we have received payment in full, we will begin any required hosting trasfers, domain setups, and file transfers to make your site live.

Once your site is fully live, we will submit your site to search engines so that your site will be indexed and included in their databases. At this time you can tell people about your website and they can view it.