Strategy:
Often overlooked, a well thought out strategic plan can make or break a business. We've successfully helped develop strategies for a wide range of clients, large and small, in all types of industries. By combining our business knowledge with our understanding of technology, we can help guide you in the right direction. When first contacted, we will set up an initial meeting to discuss your goals and objectives for your Web Site.
Take for an example of what types of aspects are considered in this outline we use for basic web design projects...
Net Doctors Basic Web Site Design Guidelines:
The basic website design package is geared towards small businesses and individuals looking at making their first foray into the online world. This allows the customer to experiment with how their business will use the website and how they can modify their business to work with the website.
The Structure
The Basic design usually includes 5-10 pages of data broken down into a simple, static structure as outlined below:
This design allows for future expandability while keeping the initial costs down. Many customers have found this setup to fit their needs perfectly. It meets both the needs of low initial costs, minimal upkeep costs, and easy updatability.
Initial Meeting
We usually begin the design and production process by meeting with the customer and going over the scope of the business and their target audience. It is at this time we also cover any questions regarding features or accessibility. We usually request that the customer bring any current content they may have (business cards, brochures, etc.). This allows our designer to properly match the colors and “feel” of the business on the website. Once we have met with the customer we usually will secure a domain for them (if they haven’t done so already) and begin the design process.
Design Process
Once our designer has materials in hand, he begins to layout a web site based upon the look and colors of a business. This allows for a more structured or “branded” look which helps customers identify with the business and adds to the image of the company. Usually we will submit an initial design that the customer reviews. Upon review of the design, the customer can submit changes or even request another design (up to 3 before charge is incurred). Many times, we will request that if the customer has seen other sites that have a look / feature that they relay this to the designer. Once the graphic look of the site is determined, we draw the first half of the design fee and proceed to programming.
(It should be noted that after the design is agreed upon, any further changes to the design will be charged on a per hour basis)
Programming Process
At this point, we request that the customer provide all content they wish to put on their site (copy, photos, keywords, etc.). This allows for a much speedier development path. It is at this time that we take the graphics and begin putting the code together to make it accessible on the Internet. Many times, this will involve cutting and optimization of the graphics in order to allow for a faster page load. We have been programming websites since their appearance and have watched each trend and fad come and go.
While this serves as a guideline, every project and client are different and we customize each meeting based on the clients needs. We work very closely with each client to understand their personal needs and to satisfy each of the requirements for their individual site. During the design we will present progress reports at key intervals.
The customer's satisfaction is always guaranteed and we're not done until you're happy with the look and content of your custom Web Site. There is more to a successful site than just putting up a bunch of pictures. Through research and extensive browsing, we understand how to create an appealing site that is easy to navigate, presents its information well, and works well for users.