The Sitefx Development Cycle
In order to ensure your site is completed on time and to specification, SiteFX make use of this iterative development model. This formularised approach helps us to create a roadmap from concept to completion and ultimately, customer satisfaction. Once the project is complete, the cycle starts again as you come up with new and creative ways to boost your online presence.
The 6 stages of the SiteFX development model are your pathway to a successful website.
Step 1 - Client Needs Analysis
As part of our FREE initial consultation, we conduct a thorough Needs Analysis. The needs analysis is beneficial in two ways. Firstly, it helps US to better understand the project, your market and your goals. Secondly, it helps YOU to realise the goals and objectives for your project. Our consultants are experts in web based marketing and with their experience, there are bound to be plenty of great ideas and suggestions that we'll offer to you!
- Discover your target demographic
- Find out who your competitors are, what they do better and what you do better!
- Identify your goals and objectives for the project
- Discuss timeframe and decide on deliverables
Step 2 - Research and Analysis
Once we have a clear understanding of your business, your market and your objectives, we need to go away and do some research. After compiling our results, we put together a comprehensive proposal outlining the project, the costs and an estimated development timeframe.
- Research competitors
- Assess the different options to achieve the objectives
- Develop technical specifications for the project
- Build a sitemap to show the flow of the site
- Detailed Proposal
- Contract and deposit taken
- Timeframe: 1 week
Step 3 - Design and functional concepts
This stage of the project is where we start to develop the look and feel of the site. Our graphic artists will prepare a mockup of the look of the site using your corporate branding and colours. Once this has been decided on, we will create a wireframe or prototype of the site to assess the exact functionality of each section or page. This phase continues until you are completely sastisfied. Once this is finalised, we will ask you to sign off the design and functionality. Changes after this point, any changes will need to be scoped and may affect the cost and timeframe of the project.
- Development of look and feel
- Functional prototypes or storyboards
- Organisation / sitemap finalised
- Assignment of responsibilities and finalisation of development timeframe
- Development of 'test cases' or scenarios to assist in testing
- Timeframe: 1 to 2 weeks
Step 4 - Development and testing
This is the part where our programmers work their magic! Taking the design and functinality that has been decided on, our technicians start putting the site together piece by piece. Our project manager will be in touch with you at an agreed schedule to update you on the progress of the site and give you an opportunity to view the site on our development server. Once the programming is done, we will complete a full test be to ensure that any noticable bugs/glitches are fixed prior to moving to Beta testing.
At this point, with the site now in Beta, along with the project and development team, we will ask some of your staff to test the site also to uncover any further bugs. This means putting the site through its paces and checking it against the test cases. Any bugs that are uncovered are sent back to the technical team for fixing and further testing. The site is graduated to Alpha status and testing is done again. If no further bugs are discovered, the site is now ready for User Acceptance and 'Go Live'.
- Programming and development as per requirements and technical specifications
- Bug testing and fixes
- Content added to the site
- Initial search engine optimisation, metatag updates
- Alpha and Beta release phases
- Timeframe: 2 to 8 weeks (project dependant)
Step 5 - Acceptance and Launch
At this point, with the website functioning correctly and testing completed, we can now make any last minute changes to the content and tweak it before launch. The web server and any email accounts (if applicable) are setup and the domain names are transferred ready for 'go-live'. Our project manager will then go through the site with you step by step, referring to the brief and technical specifications. The test cases will be run through again and you will be asked to sign off your acceptance of the completion of the project. Once final payment has been made, the site will be activated and made available to the public.
- Web server setup and domain name transfer
- Last minute content changes
- User acceptance testing
- Formal training and documentation provided
- Site sign off and final payment
- Launch
- Timeframe: 1 to 2 weeks
Step 6 - Promotion & Maintenance
The site may have launched, but the job of turning it into a profit making machine is far from over. Once the site is live, it needs to be promoted and the Search Engine Optimisation can begin. As part of our ongoing commitment and partnership with you, we assess the pages rankings on a monthly basis, make appropriate changes and provide you with a full report on how the site is going.
Like any well-oiled machine, maintenance also needs to be carried out. Database optimising, link checking, load testing and minor tweaks and additions. We also take care of the hassle of looking after email accounts, autoresponders and other hosting related services.
- Search Engine Submission and Optimisation
- Inbound Link building
- Website maintenance
- Timeframe: Ongoing
