Before we start........

Your Job as a client :
Most clients enjoy being involved in every stage of the project, however some prefer me to deal with everything, leaving them free to conduct their business. But you will need to put some time and effort in too.
To make sure you get the site you want and it comes in on budget - it is best if you are there every step of the way. Your job as a client is to make decisions and stick by them

When do we meet ?
It is preferable to meet with the client at least 3 times during project; for the initial discussions, the first review and the hand-over. I will usually visit the client on site. Other discussions can often be via email/telephone. If locality prevents a face-to-face meeting, it is possible to do the project....after all, we are in the age of electronic business.

The Project Structure

I may not have used the latest jargon of the web design world, but these good 'old-fashioned' project terms still work a treat !

1. Analysis & Design                            
   The Basics : what is the point of your site, what are your goals, who are you and who's your audience, how will your audience view the page & what kind of technologies do you want to/can we use ? We need to ensure your web site visitors can access, view and navigate the site with minimum fuss.
   The 'Look & Feel': what sort of sites do you like, what type of sites do your competitors have, is there current business literature, is there a corporate image, do you already have a design in mind ? I can talk through any rough ideas you may have and sketch up some initial designs for your review. Any graphics should make the site pleasant to flick through and should aid the visitor in his search for the required information. A balance must be made between desired graphic images and download times. As long as we aim for something unique to your business enterprise, something that suits you and the image you wish to portray, we will get a good site.
   The Domain Name : It is best to get your domain name sorted prior to project commencement, as it is likely it will need to be incorporated into the design of the site. I can step you through this process, if you are unsure.
   What do you want to say ? what sort of text and additional pictures need to be included, an introduction to yourself and your business, what type of service/product do you provide, contact pages, technical pages, links to other sites, quick access to information versus entertainment ?
   
   It will be an easier process if you have portions of the planning and writing done ahead of time and are open to design suggestions.
   
   
2. Development                                      
   The Analysis & Design section above will provide the required layout of the homepage /first page, plus a storyboard (paper 'map') of the complete site on which to base imminent developments.
   The client will receive temporary on-line access to his development site; this will be used for reviewing and testing development stages as they occur. You will need to confirm that the on-line design is as expected and you will get the chance to choose exact colours, buttons, title styles etc to fit in with your rough paper design. There will also be subtle choices and decisions to make at this stage, particularly with regard to such issues as image size/quality and performance/speed.
   Final stages will cover inclusion of the 'keywords' required in the code to ensure your site has a good chance of being found by 'those surfers' who don't already know your web address.
   
   
3. Testing                                                
   The complete site will be optimized for presentation on mainstream operating platforms. It will be tested on Netscape and Internet Explorer and on different monitors, with different resolutions. I have access to a small band of 'testers' who will navigate the complete site, providing feedback on such things as general download times and ease of navigation.
   It is now that your web hosting arrangements need to be finalized. I can give you advice in this area and talk you through the steps if necessary, but I believe it is important for you to be in control of your own web space. You will need to be able to maintain/alter those arrangements over the years yourself.
   
   
4. Hand-over                                              
   Don't promote your site before its actually live. Plan on a "soft launch", in which your site goes live without any fanfare whatsoever, giving you time for a final dress-rehearsal round of user testing. Ask your family and friends to use the site and give feedback on its 'readability'.
   I expect part payment for the project, as soon as we load to your domain name.
   Following a short time of user testing and any rework (which may need to be costed separately), the project will be deemed complete and outstanding payments will be due. I will then provide you with the source files for your web site, plus documentation.
   It is now that you need to register with search engines and directories, if you wish. Again, this will help ensure your site has a good chance of being found by potential customers who don't already know your web address. Your own business contacts will be an excellent source of advice in this area.
   
   
5. Maintenance
   You should review your site regularly (at least yearly) to ensure it doesn't become a 'dinosaur' on the web. Subsequent updates to the site aren't part of the initial contract and will need to be negotiated separately (with myself, another web design company or you could just learn to do it yourself !). I avidly encourage site updates, as neither of us want a site that we're not happy with, so I keep the cost to you to a minimum.

A word of caution. The World Wide Web is a fantastic place; it has experienced phenomenal growth over the last decade, but much of its growth has been almost 'wild'. As such there are many anomalies/problems/limitations that web designers have to work with. You can't always have everything you desire, sometimes choices and trade-offs do need to be made.