To make your job easier, here’s what you can expect from me.
(Note that website design and full-site content insertion are not included.)
Interactive Discovery
In this phase, we discuss your website’s interactive requirements — galleries, events, forms, integrations, etc. This conversation can get technical as we determine what you need, and what are optional bells and whistles.
Having an upfront conversation helps me understand must-have’s and good-to-have’s, so I can meet your timeline and stay on budget. This phase can happen simultaneously while your designer works on site architecture and design.
Deliverables in this phase include a Discovery Document per interactive element.
Interactive Prototypes
After you and your client agree on the necessary deliverables for the project, I research the best options for your website. I submit a comparison sheet and interactive prototype for you and your client to pick the best option. The prototype helps the client to visualize exactly what they are choosing or not choosing.
In addition, the discovery and prototype phases help the client understand what content they will need long before the end of the project. This gives them a head-start on gathering and writing it.
Deliverables in this phase include a Comparison Sheet and Prototype per element.
Site Preview
After the interactive pieces of the website are underway and/or after your design phase, I build the home page and a few major landing pages based on your website designs, navigation sitemap, and content. I also include some mobile optimization, so you can approve the website interaction before we get too far into development.
Deliverables include a PSD-to-WP type of site, 1-5 pages.
Client Training & Documentation
After your site preview is approved, I begin to make video tutorials and documentation for you to share with the client or whomever will be managing the website. Each WordPress site is unique, and this this documentation helps to speed up your own process of coaching those who will be responsible for inputting content both before and after site launch.
Deliverables depend on project needs.
Website Development
After your team or client is rolling with content insertion, I build out the rest of the website — pulling from the prototypes and interactive requirements gathered in earlier phases. There is often a lot of back and forth in this phase — building the site, cleaning up issues, and revising requirements.
Additional needs often arise, and as you evaluate what is necessary for the launch, you can determine what items, if any, could wait for a “Phase 2” post-launch. I’m always available to answer questions and let you know how simple or how time-consuming each request is.
Deliverables include combining site preview approval and prototype approvals into an interactive, mobile-responsive website that is delivered on time and within budget.
Final Revisions & Launch
Using a detailed 25-point checklist, I optimize the website and prepare for site launch. I can move the website live, or support whomever on your team does that. I also update the client training and documentation with additions and changes made during development.
I’m available for 30 days after the launch, in case any issues or questions arise. I’m also available on a monthly retainer to help the client transition into updating and managing the website moving forward.
Deliverable is the successful launch of your client’s website!