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Website Development Process
Website Development Process

 

Introduction

This document describes the overall process for web site development at PC Solution. It includes descriptions of the basic sub-processes.

 

The sub-processes include:

 

Planning

This sub-process allows the PC Solution Consulting team to work in conjunction with the client to define the site's scope, target, audience, purpose, objectives, and content.

This phase should also be used to schedule the work outlined in the arrangement letter.

 

Deliverables

The first deliverable from this phase of the Web Site Development process is the SRD (System Responsibility Document). The SRD outlines the following for the website:

 

A separate SRD should be developed for the application portion of the web site.

 

The second deliverable from the planning stage will be a schedule of major milestones with a developed signoff policy.

 

Procedure Use the following steps to outline the work to be done in the planning stage of Web Site Development.

Step Action

 

Set up a schedule with completion dates for major milestones for the Web Development Project.

 

Major milestones include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

This includes who on the client side will need to review the work and how much time they need. If more than one person on the client side is reviewing, decide who will consolidate the various editing notes and resolve any conflicting editing notes. Add time to review process for this consolidation work.

 

 

NOTE: Ensure that the client has reviewed approval procedures.

 

Conduct a meeting with the client to brainstorm about:

 

Site Design

 

The site design phase is used to plan the look, feel, and theme of the site. This phase also establishes the general list of pages.

In addition to the page design, this is also the phase where the Small Talk design must begin.

 

Deliverables

The deliverables for this phase of the project are:

 

The following steps outline the work to be done in the site design stage of Website Development.

 

Step Action

Discuss system specifications with client.

 

System specifications include:

 

Create Story Map

Include a one or two word description and page name.

Make page template drawings for each page. These drawings do not need to be specific about exactly what the graphics should look like, but should indicate where each graphic and block of text should go.

If a colour scheme has been decided for the page, it should be indicated on the drawing as well.

 

Create the story document.

The story document outlines the purpose for each page. It is also used as a tracking device for the graphical and textual elements of each page.

 

Set up a folder.

This folder should contain a hard copy of the text story board and the Page Template drawing for that page.  Copies of text from the client, completed graphics, and other page elements should be stored in this folder for easy access.

 

Approve story board and story document for each page.

Go over the story boards and page template drawings for each page with the client.

Get approval or feedback from the client for each page.

 

 

 

As the client reviews the pages, they should discuss the following details about the information that will be on the site.

 

 

After agreeing on how and when information will be gathered, give a copy of the information collection schedule to the client.

 

NOTE: Make sure the client understands that if the information for the pages is late, page/site creation deadlines will not be met.

 

Graphic Design

The graphic design phase of the project will begin in conjunction with the site design phase of the project. The graphic design phase will last through the page production phase.

 

Deliverables

The deliverables for this phase of the project are client-approved graphical components.

 

 

Procedure To ensure optimum quality in graphic design, designers must be involved in the entire site design sub process. The following procedure outlines the basic steps in the graphic design process.

 

Step Action

 

These meetings should determine whether original graphics or stock photography will be used, or if photo shoots need to be scheduled for any photos needed.

 

Home page graphic

Page header graphics

Menu bar graphic

Navigation button graphics

 

Determine transfer medium for file exchange CD-ROM or E-mail however, it must be electronic. (no floppy discs)

PC Solution to gain client approval for standard graphical elements.

 

Do final art and design production.

Finalize art and design with client.

Test all art and graphics on different browsers and screen resolutions.

Ensure legality of graphics.

Make sure client has secured a photo release for each person pictured on the site.

Copyright notices should appear on every web page.

Trademark notices should appear on all appropriate trademark names.

 

Archive files.

Burn files to CD-ROM.

Make one hard copy (colour prints) of the original art to remain on file in the PC Solution graphics department, filed by Web site title and work assignment number.

Make one hard copy (colour prints) of the original art to remain on file with PC Solution, filed by Website title and work assignment number.

 

Page Production

 

HTML pages are produced in this phase of the project. This section describes the steps to follow to complete page production.

 

Deliverables

Completed HTML pages are the deliverables for this phase of the project.

 

Tools

To complete this phase, PC Solution will decide what tools are required to be used to best meet the Clients requirements.

 

Standards

The following standards apply to the production of HTML page development

Use Meta tags on the Home page of the site for both Keywords and Description.

A robots.txt file should reside in the root of each web site to tell web crawlers where they cannot go.

 

HTML Page

 

Procedure

The following steps outline the work to be done in the planning stage of Web Site Development.

 

Step Action

Use the information gathering schedule determined with client to set up a schedule for when each individual page should be completed.

Determine with client if there is any website content available.

If there is, determine how we will receive the information from the client and how it should be converted.

After all of the information for each page is received, give the person coding it the folder containing the page layout drawing, the text story board, and the location of graphical and text components.

 

Note

 

Generated Page Procedure

Complete the following steps to design the site's generated pages.

 

Step Action

 

Implementation

 

Description

This sub-process combines all of the elements of the site together.

 

Deliverables

The deliverable of this phase is a client-approved Beta site.

Resources

The following resources are needed to complete this phase of the project:

 

Procedure

The following steps outline the work to be done in the implementation stage of Web Site Development.

 

Document and Place in Production

 

Do a final spell check?

Write a test plan to check all links and applications.

Make several complete runs through the test plan in development.

Move all components to the staging area and work through the complete test plan several times.

At least one run-through of the test plan should be off-site.

Obtain client sign-off on all pages in staging.

Move all components to the production server. Work through the complete test plan several times.

Conduct a multi-user test to see how the site reacts to several users.

These people should hit both general HTML pages and application pages.

Ask testers to time results of pages.

Regular HTML pages should load in eight seconds. If application pages do not load in fifteen seconds, work with developers to explore ways to make them quicker.

Notify client that the Beta version of the Web Site is in production.

Obtain client sign-off of the entire site.

Page-by-page approval is not necessary since it was obtained in staging.

 

Description

This phase of the web site development process produces a complete documented site.

 

Deliverables

The deliverables of this phase are:

 

Procedure

The following steps outline the work to be done in this phase of Web Site Development.

Step Action

Notify client that site has gone live.

Register site with all major search engines.

Meet with the Client to go over the general layout of the site.

Show them how to log on and check the basic functions of the site.

Update story document to reflect all components for each page.

This will serve as documentation for the contents of the site for future developers.

 

Site Turnover

Gather all site documentation together and place on file for future reference.

 

Introduction

After development is complete, there are several roles that must be defined.

 

The roles involved in producing a web site are:

 

Ownership

Web sites are originally owned by the PC Solution.

When the PC Solution is satisfied that development has stopped, and are in receipt of final payment, they will turn the site over to the Client for ownership.

 

Support

The responsibility of support belongs to the owner of the site. Prior to handover this will be PC Solution after handover it will be the Client.

 

The role of support includes:

 

Hosting

The responsibility of Hosting belongs to the Client unless the Client has requested that PC Solution arrange a Hosting Package.  Once a host has been contracted and the site published the responsibility for future hosting will be that of the Client.

 

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