How My Web Design Process Works
I understand your time is precious. So, I’ve put together a streamlined process for developing websites that removes unnecessary complexity and is easier to understand.
This article will explain the steps in the process, so you have a better understanding of how we’ll work together.
Project Inquiry
All projects begin with a project inquiry. You may initiate an inquiry in two ways:
- Request a free consult call from my website
- Email me directly for information
If you request a free consult, you will schedule a time for us to speak by Zoom for 30 minutes. You will be asked to complete a simple form about your project when you schedule the free consult call.
If you email me directly for information, I will answer your questions as best I can in an email, and then I will ask you to schedule a free consult call.
Free Consult Call
All projects start with a free consult call. During our call, we will get the chance to know each other, and you will get the chance to learn if my services are right for you.
The consult call is also a chance for me to learn more about the specifics of your project, so I can properly prepare a project proposal for you.
I will ask you some questions about your business during our call. Those questions include:
- Why do you want a website?
- How do you think a website will help your business?
- What types of features do you want on your website?
- What types of pages do you want on your website?
- What types of content do you want and who will be preparing the content?
We will talk about with package I think is good for you, and I will answer any questions you have.
Proposal and Contract
After our call, I’ll prepare a project proposal, contract, and invoice for any necessary deposits.
Your proposal will outline my recommendations for your project, detail the deliverables, and include all the pricing details.
If you agree to the proposal, you will be able to sign the contract and pay the invoice immediately after you submit your proposal.
Initial Welcome and Worksheets
Before I begin working on your website, you will receive a few emails providing additional details about how we’ll work together.
I will also ask you to complete a few website planning worksheets that will help me understand your branding and your style, and will help me get a better understanding of the goals you have for your website.
Kickoff Call
After you submit your initial worksheets, we will schedule a design kickoff call. During this call we will discuss your business in more detail and narrow down and fine tune the goals for your website.
You will need to be prepared to discuss the answers you provided in your worksheets, as well as talk more specifically about your website’s functionality and architecture.
This call will act as the foundation for building your website. Sometimes, these calls can be lengthy.
After the kickoff call, I will provide the following deliverables:
- A sitemap for your website
- A design brief for the project outlining the specific details of your project
- Market analysis if that is included in your project
- Website style guide initial draft
Content Preparation
Content is arguably the most important piece of your website for conversions, so we will spend a fair amount of time getting that right.
It’s also one of the hardest things for my clients to work on! So I have a series of worksheets to help us prepare great content for your website.
Content Strategy Worksheet
First, you’ll start working on your content strategy. It will be easier to prepare great content if we have a roadmap to follow, and this worksheet is how we build that roadmap!
You will be asked to answer questions about:
- Your ideal client
- How you solve your ideal client’s problems
- The benefits your services offer your client
- How you improve your client’s life or business
- Your mission and why you do what you do
- Your unique service proposition
If you need help completing the worksheet, we can schedule an optional call to work through it together.
Once you complete the worksheet, I will use that to create a simple document outlining the answers you provided. We will use this document to guide us as we create the content for your website.
Page Content Worksheets
Next, you’ll complete a series of worksheets to draft or outline the content for each of your pages for your website. These worksheets will guide you through writing the initial draft content for your website.
You aren’t expected to write the final content here on your own! But I believe it is important that your website copy sound like you. And, you’re the one who has the most knowledge about your business and your clients. So it is very important that you complete these worksheets.
Once you have finished your worksheets, I will put together simple content wireframes (which are a basic structure of the content on each page), editing the content if needed. We will work together to finalize the content we’ll use.
Images and Graphics and Fonts
I always recommend professional photography, whenever possible. However, I do not provide professional photography, but I can recommend photographers to you.
I also do not recommend using free stock photos because they can create copyright problems for you down the road. I can help you select appropriate premium stock photography to purchase at a reasonable price. I do have some stock photography you can use free of charge for images with smaller resolutions.
I do not prepare graphics or illustrations. If you want to include graphics or illustrations on your website, we can use free resources, you can purchase premade illustrations or graphics, or you can hire a graphic designer to make them for you.
I usually recommend using free google fonts. There are also several good free icon sets available to use. If you want different icons, you can purchase affordable icons for your website. I will help you choose and purchase those icons.
Design & Development
Now, we finally get to the fun part, and I’ll start designing the pages of the website.
I’ll put together a design and layout of the home page first because its design will dictate how the rest of the website will look and feel. I may also design the layout for one additional page. You will then get a chance to review and approve these page layouts before I go any further.
Once you approve the initial layouts, I will then start designing the rest of the pages. Depending on how many pages are in your website, I may design the rest of the pages at once, or I may design them in phases. You will get the chance to review and approve the designs at each phase.
Once you have approved all of the layouts, I will finish developing the website. This stage includes adding in all of the content, adding the functionality, and linking the pages together. I will develop the website prototype on a development or staging site, so the website is hidden from the public while I build it.
You will get a chance to review my work either all at once or in phases, depending on how large the website is. You will always have a chance to review the website in its entirety before we launch it!
Testing & Launch
After you approve the website prototype, I will begin final testing of its functionality. (I perform testing also as I build the website). This testing includes things like testing all the links, page speed loads, mobile device responsiveness, and basic website accessibility.
Once everything passes the tests, we will work together to launch your website! Then, once the website is live, I will run another series of tests to make sure everything is working correctly.
You will also receive a training session for using your website!
