Creating Your Impression....The Process of Design

The following outline is an overview of how our process works and is geared primarily towards web design, from first contact to the completion of the project. The type of contact with the client depends much upon where the client is located. If local, face-to-face contact is desirable, however, the process can, and does work just as well when done on a completely virtual basis via phone and email.

The process for literature design is similar, though simplified depending upon the project.

1. Request services
   1. Contact us with your comments to give us an idea of what you are looking for and we will get back to you to schedule a consultation.
2. Scope
   1. This first consultation will be done over the phone, where we will go over a questionnaire to gather basic requirements and to get an outline of what the project will entail.
   2. If the request for services is for a website or an E-commerce site, prior to the consultation the client is encouraged to read over my Web Site Planning Guide and make some notes.
   3. This consultation will take approximately an hour.
3. Analysis/Requirements
   1. First Meeting ( Have with you the notes from the Web Site Planning document, any printed materials you have that you wish to incorporate the design of into your online presence, any photographs, pictures, ideas you have that you want considered )
   2. Needs analysis – we will go over your business, what you are looking to achieve through your online presence, your goals, budget, target market and how you operate. This is where you tell me your dreams, hopes and desires!
   3. Strategy – create a strategy to achieve the impression you want to leave with your visitors. You need to determine what your image will be, how you wish to project it, how you want to be viewed and what you will offer.
   4. If the client is not local, this can be done virtually, over the phone, via email, etc. If the client desires, we can travel to your location at your expense.
4. Proposal
   1. We will come back to you with a written proposal, indicating cost, terms and schedule, along with the documented requirements and strategy that was discussed during our meeting.
   2. Services – the proposal will go over what we can/will provide for you, what the estimated time & cost will be and how to match them to your goals and budget.
5. Project Acceptance
   1. Second meeting to discuss any questions, concerns with the proposal.
   2. Contract – Before any work is begun, we will come to an agreement, where cost, terms and schedule is signed off on.
   3. Deposit is paid for work to begin.
6. Design Phase
   1. Develop functional specifications.
   2. Working with the Proposal, we will layout a design for your project. This will be the initial design.
   3. Develop prototype.
   4. You will be able to view the concepts via a browser.
   5. Review meeting to sign-off on the design.
7. Development Phase
   1. Development of code.
   2. Development of database (if required).
   3. The client will have access to a link to view the website in development.
8. Testing Phase
   1. Complete internal testing of site.
   2. Client testing of site.
9. Deployment Phase
   1. Initial setup of store and population of database with live data (if required).
   2. Review meeting to sign-off on the completion of the project.
   3. We will discuss your completed project in its entirety, including maintenance issues, training, marketing, testimonials and future requirements.
   4. Deployment of the site to the client's web server.
10. Documentation and Finalization
    1. Each client receives the following as part of their web design package:
       1. Full color brochure - ready for print
       2. Full color flyer announcing web site launch
       3. Flash banner advertisement for advertising programs
       4. Graphic and Text advertisement for advertising programs and reciprocal linking programs
       5. CD with the contents of the site
       6. Full documentation with instructions on where to login, the usernames and passwords for all functions associated with the website and hosting
       7. Full user's manual if the project included an E-commerce store

Right Impression·

Remember that each time you have a customer fill out a form, look at a piece of information or send out a flyer, that you are displaying a piece of your identity. Is it as professional as you want it to be? Is it the image that you want to portray? Does it all match? Be objective, be harsh, but above all, be sure that you are always giving the right impression, as it is that perception that we are judged upon.

On the right are links to individual pages describing our services in more detail. Feel free to browse around and check them out. If you have any questions, please contact us.