The Website Process

If you miss out on any of the following stages then you could be storing up major problems for the future. However it is never too late to go back and do the work/thinking/planning now.

First Stages

• Briefings
• Appraisal of existing web site
• Confirmation of corporate and marketing objectives
• Budget indication
• Roles and Responsibilities
• Initial timetable
• Domain registration
• First draft web plan.

Content

• Overall look and feel
• Information architecture/navigation
• Writing
• Customer Interactions
• Response forms
• Other special content

Building

• Server/ provider selection
• Mirror sites - if applicable
• Server software
• Applications development
• Transaction and payment systems development
• Supported browsers
• Development systems
• Management processes
• Technical standards

Testing

• Page quality check, validation
• Link testing
• Coherence consistency checking
• Security testing - password access etc.
• Transaction testing
• Customer response mechanisms
• Complete testing
• User testing

Ongoing Considerations

• Entries in directories and search engines
• Off-line promotion
• Research and feedback
• Data Collection (e.g. web stats) and Analysis
• Collect Content feedback
• Updating Content
• Search engine monitoring
• Competitor watch
• Link maintenance
• Overall project management - progress vs. plan
• Performance measurement
• Documentation
• Periodic strategic audits and reviews