ITzetta Web Site Design Process
Information Gathering Discovery
The first step in designing a successful web site is to gather information. Many things need to be taken into consideration when the look and feel of your site is created. This first step is actually the most important one, as it involves a solid understanding of the company it is created for. It involves a good understanding of you – what your business goals and dreams are, and how the web can be utilized to help you achieve those goals. It is important that your web designer start off by asking a lot of questions to help them undersand your business and your needs in a web site.
Certain things to consider are:
What's Purpose:
What is the purpose of your new site? Do you want to provide information about your business, promote a service you offer, sell one or more products?
Whats the Goals:
What is going to make your new website a success? Is there measurable goals already in place? How do you hope to accomplish by building this web site?
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Who is the Target Audience:
Is there a specific group of people that will help you reach your goals? It is helpful to picture the "ideal" person you want to visit your web site. Consider their age, sex or interests – this will later help determine the best design style for your site.
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What Content Should Be Used:
What information will the target audience be looking for on your new site? Are they looking for specific information, a particular product or service, online ordering? Are there other sites that also deliver the same kind of information?
Planning Site Structure
The Site Map and Wireframe:
The first task of the planning stage is to develop a site map. The site map serves as a guide for the designer, developer and you. The site map not only helps design consistant easy to use naviagtion it also helps identify which areas need content developed. The site map is then turned into a wireframe. A wireframe will contain layouts of almost everypage of the web site, and will identify technologies that will be used as well as key user interactions.
During the planning phase, ITzetta will work with you in order to help you decide what technologies should be implemented. We will also discuss call to action elements such as contact forms, interactive applications, ecommerce functionality, video and flash development are discussed when planning your web site
Design
Website Mockups:
ITzetta will prepare a Mockup based on the information gathered during the first two phases. The Site Mockup will incorporate elements such as the company logo or colors and will included all content developed or gathered to this point. The mockup will then be used as a guide to identify what areas of the design need to be focused on to complete the project.
The designer assigned to your project will create one or more mockup designs for your web site. This will be delivered as an electronic PDF file. Mockups are refined until they are an image of what the final design will look like. Your designer will allow you to view your project throughout the design and development stages. It is very important to have open communication during this process so you the client has the opportunity to express your likes and dislikes on the site design.
Development
HTML, CSS, Javascript
During the Development stage the actuall code of the site is being built. Every webpage consists of a series of files as media assets. The files explain to the web browser how these elements should be displayed and what they can do. All of the work to this point is disected down to the lowest levels and then rebuilt into a functional web site.
Development starts with the home page and then on to the interior pages. One or more template pages are built which contain the sites navigation and other site wide elements such as the header and footer. Interactivity and special funcitons are coded and tested during this phase.
