Website Design Method

Designing your website can be a time consuming and difficult process, particularly if you chose the wrong designer. Two major complaints I hear about other website designers and design companies from new clients is that the client was kept out of the loop during the development process and that the client was often unable to reach the website designer. Shelly Webber Consulting makes a great effort to ensure that the website development process is simple, affordable and most importantly that the client's goals are addressed always.

The first step in in making the website deign process simple for our clients is to keep them informed at every turn, but especially at the first step. Below we've listed the usual method we employ in designing websites for new clients. It outlines the complete website design process from the initial meeting between your organization and SWC to your website's launch. It includes:

Consultation

The first step in all of the website services is a free Website Development Needs Assessment consultation. If you would like to request a website consultation, please send us an e-mail by clicking here.

In your Website Development Needs Assessment consultation, we will work together to find the answers to the following questions:

• What is your organization's central focus and how does it translate that to a website?
• What image are you trying to project organizationally and thus through your web presence?
• What is your goal for your website? Do you want to have sales take place through your website (e-commerce)? Or do we want to have an informational website and allow clients to contact you via your website or phone?
• What are a few of your favorite websites to browse and why?
• Do you have traditional marketing material available, i.e., brochures, business cards, flyers, from which to develop the look of your website?
• What will be featured on your website? A service or a product?
• Will your organization handle updating your website or will webste updates be outsourced?
• Who on our staff will update your organizations website and will they need trained?
• How often will update your website after it has been designed?
• What is your annual budget for your website's design, development and maintenence?
• Please remember that websites should be advertised in some manner and include that in your website budget.
• Will you sell advertising on your website? Will you create link partnerships with complimentary businesses on your website?
• Have you selected and registered a domain name for your website?

NEW THIS YEAR!! Shelly Webber Consulting now sells domain names and server space to website design clients. We sell domain names at cost. This service was added to enhance customer experience and satisfaction, not for profit.

• Do we have in-house server space available for our website or will we have to purchase virtual server space?

NEW THIS YEAR: Shelly Webber Consulting sells server space to website design clients. This service is not available to the general population only Shelly Webber Consulting Website Design clients, as we have limited server space available.

• How much server space do we have?
  
• What type of server software do we use?
  

From the answers to the website development need assessment, you and a team member of Shelly Webber Consulting will sketch out your web presence needs.

Delivery of Website Design Proposal

The next step in designing your website is developing a proposal and timeline for our website design services. Your website design proposal will include a fixed cost bid listing the design services you have chosen for your website and timeline for your website's development.

We price our services in two ways, by package and ala cart. Your proposal will include a break down of costs for certain elements of your site, so that you may trim or add elements of your website to meet your annual website budget. For example, if your annual web presence budget is $500, then you may want to exclude high cost elements, like a photo gallery, from your site without abandoning developing a website for your organizaition all together. Typically, our fees range from $300 to $5,000 dollars depending on the elements included on the website.

The development timeline will outline the content we will need from you to create your website, when we will need the content of your website and the important dates toward your website's completion. Typically, the length of the time line ranges from 2 weeks to 3 months, depending on the content of your website and the amount of time your organization has to invest in completing the development of your website.

Once we have agreed on the terms of the contract, a final proposal and timeline are submitted to your organization with a contract. Please note that a 30% down payment and signed contract are required before Shelly Webber Consulting begins your project. The remainder of the fees are due at project completion, before your website will be released to you. We accept cash, check, Master Card and Visa.

Website Design, Development and Testing

Our 3rd step is developing and testing your website with the elements you have ordered in the timeline to which we've agreed. Throughout the website design process you will be able to see live versions of your website at a test URL for your website. This allows you the opportunity to see your website develop and to have oversight of your website project. If, during the website development phase, you would like to make changes to your website's look, you will have an opportunity to do so.

After we have developed your site to your specifications, we test your website for usability because a website that is difficult to browse is the surest path to failure. We test for

• Browser compatability
• Accessibilty
• Loading time at different connection speeds
• Spelling
• Broken links

Once we have tested your website, we invite your organization to test th ewebsite to ensure that it meets your standards and expectations.

Website Launch

Once we assured that your website meets (and hopefully exceeds) the expectations drawn out in steps 1 and 2 of this process, we will launch your website into your server space. As a bonus, we will happily send your website's homepage in an e-mail as an invitation to a list of 25 users that you would like to introduce to your website.

As you can see, Shelly Webber Consulting will work with you from the conception of your website to your website's launch. We are also available for other website options, like upgrades, redesign, maintenence and Search Engine Optimization.