Collaborative Web Design Process

WebFire Designs follows a strict development process to ensure all web design projects are of the highest quality. It all begins with an in-depth consultation to determine your goals for the website and what your expectations are. Our objective is to design a successful website for you, that meets your goals and the way we do that is by listening to you. We need to understand what challenges you face if we are to develop a site that will allow you to overcome those challenges and meet your goals.

We follow an iterative process of consultation, design alteration, and feebdback that allows you to provide comments on your design during the development process. During coding of your design you can view the in-development version of your site on our secure password protected servers. This allows you to view the development step-by-step to ensure your project is proceeding on schedule, and to your satisfaction.

Web Design Process Details:

1. In depth consultation.
   1. Goals for site
   2. Determine content to be presented to site visitors
   3. Determine best way to provide that content
   4. Determine how the content should be organized
   5. Any specific technologies or features required
   6. Marketing considerations and budget
2. Comprehensive quote delivered to client
3. Contract signed specifying deliverables, and timeframe
4. Invoice sent to client for 50% fully refundable down payment
5. Domain name registration*
6. Content development including Search Engine Optimization
   1. Keyword analysis
   2. Content submissions (text content provided by client, with our SEO recommendations)
7. Draft design(s) submitted for client approval, with revisions as necessary
   1. Logo design**
   2. Wire frame diagrams
   3. Layout design including colour schemes, graphics
8. Design and content revisions incorporating client feedback as necessary
9. Finalization of design
10. Coding of website design on test server including integration of content into design
11. Content Management System configuration
12. Shopping Cart configuration (as required)
13. Final approval of website design and content
14. Send invoice to client and process balance of payment
15. Web hosting***
16. Site GOES LIVE
17. Submission to DMOZ, and Yahoo Directory**
18. Submission to Google, Yahoo, and Bing
19. Web marketing plan (link building, Google AdWords, blog. RSS, etc.)**
20. Website tracking and adjustments as necessary**

*Additional cost (currently $14.95/yr US)

**Additional cost

***Additional cost (currently $7.95/mth)

Contact WebFire Designs today to get started on your web design solution.

Website Design Process Questions

Where will the content for my new site come from?

Usually the client will provide all content for the site. After all, it’s your business and you know it better than anyone else. If you require a content writer, we can recommend one for you. We will advise you, however, on how to write content that is as effective as possible from a search engine perspective.

We can select photographs, or recommend places for you to acquire photographs for your site.

How do we pay and do we pay up front?

We accept payment by cheque. After the initial consultation, we will take all your requirements into account and make a proposal to you including the design options to meet your needs. Once you agree that our proposal will fulfil your requirements we require you to sign a design contract. At that time we require 50% down before we begin. The remainder is due only once you are completely satisfied with the finished website and the site goes live.

How long will it take to design my website?

In general, a small site of a few pages can be designed in a few weeks or so, once a contract is signed and all content is provided. Larger sites may take a few months depending on the size of the site and complexity.

However, we cannot make a guarantee that we will design your project within a specific period of time because there are too many variables to consider.

Design time can be improved if the client is sure of what they are looking for and can provide clear details about the design they require. The fewer changes requested, and the timely manner in which feedback on design changes is provided can greatly improve the time required to complete the design.