The following article is a description of a typical website development process, providing a summary of the steps a client will encounter working with EhrenWerks Media.

Design Session

A design session will be conducted to discuss the needs of your web site design. You will be asked to participate in the conceptualization of the website design, to include fonts, colors and any other information required to produce the “look and feel” of the final product. We will ask you about logos and other “creative” you may have previously commissioned and whether or not they can be reused, or if a new approach is necessary. In addition, a site map will be created to help you organize your information into website sections and pages. We will also cover things like your domain name, hosting and email requirements. Finally, a production schedule detailing project “milestones” and deliverables will be proposed. Plan on spending a couple of hours with us, as we have lots of questions to ask you as we learn more about your business and how best to display that all important message you would like to convey to your potential and current customers.

First Milestone: Website Design Mockups

Armed with notes and sketches from the design session and our years of experience producing successful websites, EhrenWerks heads back to the drawing board to create “mockups” of what your website might look like. The mockups will be images to look at of a proposed home page and sub page design. You can’t click on them yet. What we want you to concentrate on at this point is how the palette of colors strikes you and how the layout of your message might look like and whether or not it’s in the right place for maximum effect. We may have a variety of test illustrations and images in place to support your message and will want your opinion on how they fit with the message you wish to convey. We want you to look at where the navigation links for the website are and decide if they are intuitive and easy to find. It’s at this point in the process when the “gears” in your head will really start spinning! We expect you to come back to us with suggestions on how the design can be altered. Plan on two iterations of the designs to really hone in on the perfect design.

Second Milestone: Website Templates

With your approval of the Website Design Mockups, our next step is to create the “shell” of your website, introducing interactive effects, navigation from the home page to the various sections of your site and possible layouts for content. You will be able to navigate from page to page at this point. We will temporarily insert what is commonly known as “greeking” (fake content) into the pages of the website so you can see how the message might appear in the layout and how the illustrations relate to the message. At this juncture, we would like you to concentrate on how the navigation of the site works and if the delivery of the message has potential for the best effect. Again, your suggestions and critique are crucial to the success of the project. Plan once again to see up to two revisions at this stage to make sure the flow from page to page is an efficient delivery of information.

Third Milestone: Delivery of Content

After the design session, you will receive a copy of the “site map.” A site map is the outline for the story we need to tell to convey our message. The site map will list all the pages of the site and will give you an idea of what content (text and images) will be needed to fill each page. You will use this site map to help track and inventory what needs to be created and what has been delivered to EhrenWerks. We will, in turn, use this site map to help us place the content in the appropriate pages. This milestone is one assigned to you and is an equally important step in the timely delivery of the website project.

Nobody knows your business better than you. Delivering a compelling argument of why you are the best choice for what you do to your potential clients is the most important part of the project, and it is up to you to provide the details. You will be asked to provide us this message so we can, in turn, populate the website with content.

We realize you are also very busy doing what it is that you do. Sometimes taking time out to write each page can be a daunting task and can be a place where the project can get stuck. Don’t fret! EhrenWerks is here to help! On our staff are copywriters that, with a couple hours of their time, can help you look at and edit existing content you may have. They can also interview you to grasp the important points of your message and create new, compelling content that will grab the attention of your potential customers. If you need help delivering or developing content for your website, please do not hesitate to ask. A copywriting option is available to add to your project.

Fourth Milestone: Content Population

Your website project really starts taking shape now! All the text and illustrations are put in place on each one of the pages of the website. You will be able to navigate from page to page and see how the site will look as a nearly completed project. We aren’t done yet, though! Now’s the time to step back and take an objective view of what we have produced together so far. Does it really say what you want it to say? Is the argument for choosing your business compelling enough to make the potential customer act? Does the site flow well? Is there content unintentionally buried and difficult to find? We want you to be proud of the project and now is the time to put the final stamp on your website. Again, plan on up to two iterations for content revision. Oh, by the way, this process goes a lot faster if you hit the “spell check” before you send content to us!

Fifth Milestone: Go Live!

If you host with us, it’s a matter of flipping a few switches to make the website show up when you type in your web address in your browser. If you host somewhere else, there’s a few more steps, but we will have taken care of those before this moment. Additionally, we may need to reconfigure some applications if they are part of the project to switch them from development to live status. Finally, the website address may need to be pointed to the website, which will require a little time to propogate throughout the internet. EhrenWerks does a final check of all website functionality and navigates to all pages to make sure all links work and the content is in place. We ask that you also do the same and if there are any last minute tweaks, now is the time to get them to us to make sure your new website is perfect in every way.

EhrenWerks is excited to be a part of your team! We can’t wait to get started! If there are any questions about our process or this proposal, please do not hesitate to contact us: 303-664-4767 or [email protected]