Step By Step Guide To Web Design And Development Process
A well structured and effective process plan is important to remain viable in any business. Web designing is not an exception to this.
An amazing website is one which completes some or the other goals of the website. As a web designer and web developer, you can become a leader when you know the strategy of making a web design that works. Although HTML, CSS and other codes are an important part of a web designing, a powerful designing strategy is what you should focus.
Being a part of Solwin Infotech for years, I have found the essence of web designing and web development which I am going to share today.
Do you feel like you are in a repeat mode of completing the same tasks? A slight modification, save and continue is your daily web design cycle?
Many web designers know that web designing has to be done in a manner but fail to follow. Hence this post should be bookmarked for future web designing work.
As every project is different, there is no specific web design process but these tips are basics for web designers to ensure that they are in right direction. This article explains web designing as a more evolved type of activity.
1. Strategy Making
Before we start any designing process we need to understand the essence of the project. A web designing team should be clear about the business goals of the project. A successful website is developed with crystal clear strategy and amazing design.
Purpose: Why are you making a website? Or why do you need a redesigning of a website? Do you want to sell some goods or services? Or you need to provide some information to the users?
Goals: The website should accomplish your goals set. The underlying definition of business should be clear with the team.
Target Audience: Do you wish to target some specific group of visitors? You should know where your audience located is and what language they speak? Like women in south India prefer more of cotton outfits due to its climate condition. So if you are selling cotton outfits, your target audience is south India.
2. Planning
Using all the information you gathered in strategy making stage, it’s time to plan out. Document all your information together and your site structure will be ready.
Create a sitemap including all the main topics as well as subtopics on the website. This is the phase where you start imagination.
With the help of web designers, decide upon the latest web designing technologies to be used in web designing process. Determine all the required resources like software, photos, content etc..
3. Design
Now it’s time to turn imagination into reality. A documented site structure along with the visual representation is delivered at this stage. By this time, a website should more or less have taken shape.
Now it’s time to turn imagination into reality. A documented site structure along with the visual representation is delivered at this stage. By this time, a website should more or less have taken shape.
Wireframe and elements designing:
With the help of information collected during the strategy-making process, start making a wireframe. There are lots of free tools available online for making your website’s wireframe. If you are not comfortable with online wireframe makers use pencil and paper.
Mock-ups as required:
Mockup enables testing of a design which makes your modifications easy. It will help clients to imagine how the real website will appear. Also, you can add these mockups in your portfolio rather than showing flat JPG files.
Reviews and approvals:
This is a stage where you are sending designs to the client for a review. If they are not satisfied they will tweak or approve it if they are satisfied. This is the final step to make changes, it will be tough to make changes after coding.
Slice and code valid XHTML/CSS:
This is a final stage of designing. You need to code the final chosen design. Slice the final Photoshop mock-up, and code the HTML and CSS for the design.