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How we work

Step 1: Initial discussions and how you feel about your project:

All good projects begin with an informal talk. About your culture and ethos, your customers and service users.

 

We listen. Developing an understanding of what you feel is needed from your site. You can find a style and design guide on our about us page.

We are happy to meet and discuss your needs without commitment – always hopefully coming away with a clear formal brief to develop your ideas, using our technical expertise, graphic design and writing skills – all focused on your sector.

 

Step 2: Back at our office – star bursting the creative bit:

We think about how we should structure your site, how it will look, how many pages you might need (we set no limits), how our email and e-invitation service may build into the project to make your work more effective.

 

Step 3: Developing the wireframe concept:

Our wire frames can take many forms. We will often use a graphics programme to visualise your pages and their interlacing.

 

We might use a shared workspace on line, so that all partners can see the framing concepts, or we will use a test-bed domain, unlinked to search engines etc., to publish changes in real time for all to see. (We likeAdobe.com at the moment).

We will not commit to large scale graphic design or image research at this stage. We will commit to a suggested 'site map' for you to consider.

 

 

Step 4: What will it look like – a thinking and doing process:

Using our design ideas, from the starting point of our wireframe concepts, we will begin the process of delivering your content.

 

This takes a while.

 

This is why we like to work as your partner over a number of months, changing and flexing this content process as we move towards the end of the project.

 

 

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Step 5: Concept to photo-paste up:

 

What will your index page look like, how do the colours, stlye and potential imagery blend together – a prototype of the finished article begins to emerge.

 

 

Step 6: Getting your input and reacting promptly to it:

 

This whole process for us is a dialogue - ever conscious of deadlines of course, but also focused on delivering a quality site with informative impact for your visitors.

 

Step 7: Revisiting the work:

 

...always preprared to revisit as part of the process – the wireframe, the content, the design, your office – coffee is almost always welcome at this stage.

 

Step 8: Revisiting the work, always revisiting:

Persistence, patience and preparation = progress

(we think so).

 

Step 9: Beginning to translate the creative process into coherent output:

A process that involves some time in structuring the individual pages, their links, their loading speed and how they are going to look. (We usually test across 5 browsers and three screen sizes).

 

Step 10: Keeping up the commitment on content design approval.

Conversation, conversion and completion in sight.

 

Step 11: Writing the code, drafting the RSS feeds, importing calendars, installing php and databases...and other stuff:

At this stage we are always much concerned with creating databases in MySql and PHP, to build any interactivity needed, discrete internal systems for staff, volunteers etc. Building the pages with any input from user groups, children and partner organisations.

An important element at this stage is localisation. Translating the site navigation is often a relatively easy process – delivering as much individual content in alternative languages is a time-consuming job.

 

Step 12: Testing the creature again....and again:

The final stages are a process of checking every link, every word and every note of code for accuracy and efficacy. If standards compliant pages were a principal theme for the client – this is where the debugging takes place and the code testing to get those badges on the finished pages.

 

Step 13: Slipway the site – celebrate the service provision:

Never really the end...new content and ideas emerge all the time. But a formal presentation of the finished project is always helpful for a team to know what is there, take ownership of the service and to receive any manuals, guidance and support that may emerge as necessary.

We nearly always come away from these sessions with a least five new ideas that need implementation.

We have no limit on page numbers, email boxes and images.

 

We can offer email bulletins and newsletter production as part of our creative service.