Design Process
Mooresville Websites wants to build your Internet Web Site. Our experience has shown that a few basic rules in our design process help us do our best work – and keeps your costs under control.
It is vital that you have a very clear concept of your Web site from the outset – and most importantly, what you want it to achieve. This may require input from your associates to build a realistic project objective. Your primary need should be identified and agreed upon together with some kind of success criteria for the overall work. In addition, we recommend some serious thought be given to the entire venture. Are you going to be satisfied having an electronic brochure for example, versus an integrated capability to offer e-commerce sales and service direct off your Web site? All these questions should be identified and resolved before you go too far.
We have developed an Internet Web site Life Cycle Project template, which serves as a guide throughout each project – even for the preparation of an estimate. This is a methodology, which helps us work as accurately and efficiently as possible – and thus produce great creative work in the most productive and cost-efficient way possible. The bottom line is a first-class quality product that does, looks and feels the way you want it to.
Mooresville Sign Post on HWY 21
Here in general terms is how we approach every project:
Budget & Collateral Materials
We ask clients to outline their budget zone and assemble examples of all their collateral material that we will use both to educate ourselves as to your business – and actually feature in the production work. Marketing consistency between existing printed collateral investments and your Internet Web Site are vital issues. Things like logos, corporate colors and image identification standards need to be assembled. Web sites can be as straightforward or ornate and complex as you want. What will vary is the production cost for the work involved.
We Need To Know Your Business
Prepare a list of your competition, trade associations and related business internet web sites which help build fast-track knowledge of your business, industry – and the general marketing trends you are facing. We also ask for any other web sites that you find appealing or interesting from a functionality or aesthetic point of view. Again we are working to get a sense of your corporate culture which we in turn can translate into your Web site.
Face To Face Team Meeting
After a few days of homework reviewing your materials and researching, we like to meet face-to-face with the client team who are spearheading the project. This is a focussed meeting where we get to ask our questions and probe. At this time we may review other interesting web sites and explore their strengths and weaknesses together. We then make sure that we understand exactly what we are being tasked on so we can prepare a complete and detailed estimate for the work required. If a client does not have a registered web site address, we can provide accurate information as to site name availability and registration costs. It is well to do this in advance so that all copy and references written are accurate from the outset. It is also vital to integrate this address into your advertising and other printed collateral material which may require some additional preparation time and work.
Our Proposal
We submit our estimate for the work required together with a preliminary site plan. An indicative example of a Home Page placed and accessible from our development server is prepared if required at this stage. Everything at this stage is reviewed and discussed openly so there are no surprises! An approval and retainer deposit starts the production work.
The Work Starts!
With your decision to proceed many things start to happen. First the site plan is reviewed meticulously and the general site layout is approved. The creative approaches developed are prepared and the general site engineering details are worked out. The navigational tools for example are developed and all “behind the scenes” work required to give the site the desired look and feel are evolved. The materials supplied are reviewed by our copy teams to prepare the accurate copy content required. Everything is reviewed and approved along the way. Graphics are created, existing photographs are digitally scanned and new photography is shot depending on the requirement. We can even assist with that work if required. All the components are controlled via a project docket system that ensures that every detail is covered and that the project workflow moves forward without undue delay.
Main Street Park in downtown Mooresville
Site Review and Editing
Finally all the components are put together and presented to you for approval. This is a detailed process because it demands close inspection of the entire site and testing of its integral parts. Revisions at this time can be accommodated, but because of the detailed up-front work, invariably these are minor.
Going Live!
The site is ready to go and we post it to the chosen Internet Service Provider (ISP) where your site will be hosted. We then connect all applicable e-mail and other site links and the site goes live!
Training
We will get together with whoever is going to maintain the site and teach them how to do it. Usually an hour at a time over two or three visits does the trick and, we’re always available afterwards to help out over the phone.
Contact me. Talk is free. And I’m all ears.