Through planning and development, our production process is designed for maximum efficiency. There are many steps required to get from an idea to a finished website and our experience serves our clients well through a finely tuned production process.
Websites consist of several important components and concepts that need to be addressed from the start. The design and content concepts are usually thought of first, but along with that comes the technical aspects, marketing and business considerations, updating options, maintenance, ECT. Production timeframes, budgets and future plans are also deserving topics of consideration. We work with our clients from the start to identify needs and potential pitfalls to come up with a solution that works for everyone.
The first steps will usually involve technical issues such as getting your hosting, domain names, and software installations taken care of - as not much can be done without having these items working and readily accessible.
The length and difficulty of this process can vary depending on the particular situation, but no matter what it is, we can work through it. If you choose to use NetSense Media for your hosting and domain, the process is quick and painless.
This is the process of determining what the final website will be. We want to know what your vision for the site is. Prototyping will involve gathering content, brainstorming, ideas, developing design concepts, layout and content, as well as discussing the required features for the site. The scope of the content is the most important detail, as it will shape the layout and ideas of the site.
This step will also include identifying any additional software or hosting costs that may be associated with the site you are developing. Depending on the complexity and nature of the project, budgeting additional expenses may be necessary. We do the research for you and present the options for your consideration.
Once the ideas are out and decisions are made, a basic rough draft can be formed and used as a guide for the final site.
Once we've dealt with initial technical issues and discussed basic ideas for the website, the next step will be getting software and extensions installed and working. extensions and applications need to be installed and configured. The length of this process varies depending on how complex the website is and what extensions are being used and how many there are. Configuring an Online Store takes longer than a Photo Slideshow, for example. At the very least, a design template will need to be installed and configured to work as the framework for the entire site.
Once all of the content is decided on and submitted, it needs to be prepared for use on the website. Often times, images need to be re-sized or re-named, text will need to have HTML / CSS markup codes applied, other media may need specific formatting ECT. The length of this process will vary depending on technical aspects and time required to accomplish the tasks - it all depends on the content in question. In any case, we have right tools and skills to streamline the process.
At this point, content development can also come into play. Such as, editing text, new graphics or banners, or otherwise modifying the content to work within the website. We offer suggestions and resources to help you develop your own content, or we can do it for you - it's all up to you.
This process takes the content and puts it into the website framework in an organized format on the website. This involves creating navigation schemes using the section and category features of the CMS to complement the content. The goal is to ensure that visitors can move around the site easily and find what they are looking for quickly. This step also serves to make future updating and the addition of new content easier to manage down the road.
At this point, the content and design is ready to be put in place. The final, formatted content will be placed into the site, along with the designs, graphics, images, media, ECT. From here, additional changes or revisions to content, layout or design adjustments can be made.
With everything in place, it's time to take it for a test drive. All extensions and applications need to be tested, particularly those that offer any sort of interactivity. From stores with payment and invoicing systems, to message boards and photo galleries, to the basic contact email form - it all needs to work.
Depending on your situation, we can set your website up in a development area that is accessible from a secure IP Address or URL. This way you can see and operate the site from any computer, but it is not readily accessible to the public. This is helpful to identify any content, layout, or functionality issue that need to be corrected without reflecting on your current website.
It's best to identify problems now, rather than your website visitors finding them later. Adjustments will be made until everything is functioning correctly.
Once the site is "Finished", it's not a bad idea to leave the site as is for a week or so to evaluate the overall effect of the website. A good thing to do is have some friends or family visit the site to see what they think. Content revisions or design and layout adjustments may come in to play after seeing it action for a few days and getting comments from your test users. This is a great time to take notes about final changes that need to be made.
Once the final revisions have been made and the testing is complete, the site is ready for launch. If your site was developed in a testing area, this process may involve moving your site to the correct location on the internet and changing your domain settings to direct to the site. Once that is done you are on the web and ready to go!
After the site is done, different types of support packages are available, based on the budget and needs of clients. At the minimum, clients get all of files, passwords and materials used to make the site and a "grace period" to make minor changes and correct any functionality issues.
From there, additional complementary support can be found through out this website. We've built a number of tutorials and instructional documents to cover basics of using the tools in place on your website. Designed to make using and updating your website as easy as possible.
A big part of this development process is to leave options for the future open for change and growth. Many of the steps outlined above have been put in place to ensure that updates, changes, content additions, added functionality, and the basic management of the website are all achievable through a user-friendly interface that is fairly simple to use. Rest assured that the future of your website will be in your hands, and you are not "locked-in" to any sort of proprietary system or software that requires our services exclusively to work with your website. While we hope that you continue to use our services, it's important to us that you have a choice.
If you have questions about the process, or any of the steps involved, please contact us.
Contact Us for More Information
Netsense Media was a tremendous help to me in creating my website. I had several ideas about the look and feel I wanted, but no idea where to start. They took my vision and implemented it and designed it better than I could have imagined. They are quick, reliable and diligent; I was on a fast timeline and they met it without any complications or complaints. I will recommend Netsense Media to anyone and everyone looking for talented web designers.
Dana Harris, Owner. DMarie & Company
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