
In website development, there are certain truths Element holds as self-evident:
STAGE ONE :: Discovery, requirements planning, and site definition.
We begin with a full consultation on your business goals and explain how a website can help you realize them. We’ll discuss the scope of the site, the functionality requirements, the site’s platform, copy needs, brand integration, needs for CMS, mobile responsiveness, and lay
out a pathway to success.
STAGE TWO :: Site map + info architecture.
Here, we define the user experience in consideration of the functionality requirements, total scope of content, and brand integration with the navigation scheme. This is your site’s blueprint, so we adjust until you’re satisfied.
STAGE THREE :: Home page + sublevel page initial design.
We’re ready to design on your behalf. We provide home page-level designs for your approval, get your chosen direction, and then begin to weave that design into a sublevel page template. It’s design, then approve, design, then approve. In this way, you’re in control of the process
so there are no surprises.
STAGE FOUR :: Final design and design-build of approved functionality.
Here, final design is approved and the site’s functionality enters its actionable phase. In many cases, we’re taking “white label” widgets and blending your design with them. In other cases, we’re creating functionality from scratch. The time frames can vary widely here, so we ensure close communication with our clients to manage expectations.
STAGE FIVE :: Full programming.
Though there will be overlap between design and programming in the previous stage, stage five is reserved for the time needed to implement design and migrate/import copy along with the various modules that have been specified as part of the scope and info architecture. It’s the longest, most intense stage and where the vast majority of your website is built.
STAGE SIX :: Beta testing and proofreading.
It’s in this stage of web development that we put the site through the proverbial wringer before launching it to the world. We’re testing all the site’s functionality, incorporating your feedback, and proofreading the entire site. We’re de-bugging and ensuring that when it’s time to go live, your site is ready for the challenge of heavy user traffic.
STAGE SEVEN :: Go live.
It’s time for prime time. The “go live” date may be initially expressed in a date range due
to variables in the very nature of web development. No firm has a crystal ball for ensuring a “go live” date; therefore, this date will be refined and narrowed throughout the development process.