Article - Website Design Process

Homepage Design

• Your company logo in a high resolution. (Including any uncommon fonts that you may require.)
• Company slogan (if one being used by the company)
• Navigation or site structure. Our consultants will discuss the content with you. If you intend to expand the website in the near future it would be best to mention this as well so that the website design can be built to accommodate such future addition

In order for us to deliver the best possible product to you, we would ideally like to receive the following from you:

• Images of your products and/or any imagery that is specific to your company. If you are unable to supply imagery please set up a small list of the type of images that would be appropriate to the industry that you are in. Being in the industry yourselves you would know best which types of images would be suitable.
• An idea of what design style would best suit your company culture. A design style is a loose idea of your preference (bearing in mind what design style would attract potential and existing clients.) For example do you prefer corporate and clean or sporty and youthful? Do you want to focus on imagery to pull the client in or do you want a “newsletter” style design with concentrated areas of information?
• Any previous promotional material (such as brochures, leaflets etc) that are part of your corporate image. Often more established companies would like the website to compliment current promotional material.

First Presentation of Design

This presentation usually contains example text to give you an idea of the final product. Once we move onto building the web ready pages you will be able to view other elements such as flash animation and click on links.

Reasonable Changes

If precise goals and requirements were setup up between yourself and Grey Pebbles then the changes at this stage tend to be minimal (for example slight colour adjustments or small image changes).

In the rare case that a redesign is required it is usually a result of unclear initial instructions. one redesign is permitted in terms of the Grey Pebbles' sales contract. More than one redesign is considered a new product and is treated accordingly. (Please discuss this with our consultants if you are unsure.)

Homepage Sign Off

Once the homepage has been approved in writing (either by email or a faxed signoff) we can begin with building the website. The subpage design is a less image intensive version of the homepage (the design is adjusted to accommodate more information than the subpages).

When we have built the website shell we place the website on our test server. We will send you a special link in order to be able to view your website progress. You will be able to flash animation and comment accordingly.

Website Information Provided by Client

Using the website shell as a reference, the information that will be placed on your website should be compiled under the same headings as the pages of your website. (We do provide proof reading services at an extra cost.) It is important to supply the content in word format. If the designers are required to type out the text provided then the time taken to print the content out will be charged according to time.

First Presentation of Website

This is your chance to go through the website as it is and ensure that the pages display the information as you would like it to.

First Correction

Tweaks and changes to the website to finalise the product.

Completion and Final Testing

The design and programming teams will test the features once more before we take your website live.

Client Module Training

If you have any of our programming modules installed on your website (e.g.: gallery module) then either you or one of your staff will need to be trained up on the features of the specific modules. Often we suggest that at least a few items be added to the module. In the case of forums, that a few discussion topics be added. In the case of galleries that a few base images be loaded.

Final Payment

Website Goes Live

Initial Website Optimisation for Search Engines

Submission of your website to search engines such as Google. The search engine optimisation  process will be continued for clients that opt for the monthly optimisation will see greater search engine rank improvements over time.

From this stage onwards the initial web project is considered closed further changes would be quoted per hour.

Enjoy your website.