Web Design Process
There are several steps to the web design process. This guideline helps walk you through the process. We feel it's important that you are familiar with the process so you know what to expect when working with us, and you can feel confident that your website will be everything you hoped it would be when we are finished!
Step 1. Getting Started - The first step is for us to find out more about you and the website you are looking for. We do this by asking you to fill out our website questionnaire. The questionnaire gathers information about you, websites that you like, the look and feel you want for your website, your timeline, and your budget.
Step 2. Quotation Review - Based on the answers you provide on the website questionnaire, we prepare a detailed quote for the web services. We consider your budget (we work with all budgets), and we can provide different approaches to achieve the website you need. The price we quote, is the price you will pay. In other words, we will not change the price on you in the end. (That is, unless you add new features along the way).
Step 3. Design Phase - If you decide to choose Full Circle Images after reviewing your quote, the next step is for us to work up a few design comps. Design comps are examples of what your web site will look like. This includes color schemes and the layout of text and graphics. A design comp looks like a real web page, but its links are not active. We typically provide at least 2 design comps. (We would also register your domain name at this stage if that is a service you require). We can't stress enough how important the design phase is. This is the time to visualize and create the look of your website. It is much easier to make changes to the design at this stage than after we have added all the content. Ensuring that you are pleased with the design comp, ensures that the rest of the process will be a smooth one.
Step 4. Preliminary Development - Once you have chosen and approved a design comp, the next phase is where we start the busy work on the website. It includes adding the content and developing any necessary applications to make your website functional. We usually develop a few of the main pages, and then we give you another chance to review the design. This allows you to make any final changes to the layout and colors. (We understand that sometimes you need to see it and use it before you can visualize how it will look - it's very important to us that you are happy with your website!).
Step 5. Final Development - We're almost there! After we get your approval after the preliminary development, we continue with the development work. When we have completed this work, the next step is for you to review the entire site. At this stage, we work with content changes only. (If you're really really unhappy with something and you want something changed, we will of course change it for you. Again, we want you to be happy!)
Step 6. Blast off! - When we get your final approval, it's time to launch your site and go public! When we launch your site, we also submit it to the most popular search engines (Google, Yahoo, etc.). It can take a few weeks before your site shows up in any searches (there are millions of sites to search). It's also very important that you submit your site to online business directories, provide links to companies you work with that have websites, and any other ways you can get your name out there. The more links there are to your business, the more people will find you!
