Responsive Web Design
Here is a breakdown of the responsive web design and development process so you know what to expect:
Listen
This is the most crucial step of the whole project and needs to be documented correctly before any work is done on the site. It is important for us to listen to you and your needs as a client. It is important for you to accurately communicate your goals for the website. Sometimes clients don't always know what they want, so we often ask some questions to help begin effective dialogue.
Website Quote and Pricing
Once we know what you do and don't want, we can provide you with an accurate quote on how much the project will cost. Once the site budget is approved and all documentation has been signed and approved, we require 50% of the site cost up front. Pricing a website is sort of like buying a car, the more bells and whistles you want the more the car will cost. Therefore, the more information about the project we have and know up front, the more accurate the quote will be.
Web Design
We currently design our sites in Photoshop CS3 and will produce a design mockup for you to view and approve before we start any HTML or CSS coding. At this stage in the web design process, you have the option of modifying the mockup as you see fit. This process may go back and forth several times until we get it 'just right'. Although tedious and sometimes stressful, it is vital that you be happy with the design before we move forward.
Web Coding and Programming
To make the web design viewable on the web, we must 'slice' up the image file into HTML tables or CSS divsso that we can begin adding content to your site such as text, images, Flash, videos, sound, etc. If your site requires any PHP programming, this is done once the design has been approved. PHP is a dynamic programming language we use to do tasks such as email contact forms, application form processing, content management, e-commerce and database development.
Delivery
Once the site is complete and has been approved by the client, we are ready to 'go live' and put the site up on the web for all to see and explore. To make a site live, you will need a domain name and someone to host the website. We recommend GoDaddy.com for purchasing domain names and we can provide web hosting for your site. Contact us for web hosting rates.
And then....
Well, the site is done, but the relationship is not. Many clients like to do site upgrades in the future, like to purchase other services like search engine optimization or will need technical support. We often check in with clients on a monthly basis to make sure things are still running smoothly and to offer any support they may need.
If you have other questions about our web design process, feel free to contact us or browse our web design FAQ blog.