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The Website Design Process: Step 4
Refinement cycle begins. Comps will be perfected and you
and the client will develop the content that will eventually
replace the filler Latin.
Step 4: Design Development
- Develop content and graphics.
- Refine creative concepts.
- Submit subsequent design drafts for review/approval.
(Design Development may cycle up to 3 times until client
is reasonably satisfied with refinements)
Develop Content and Graphics
Content development is an art unto itself. You will need
to have some English and marketing classes under your belt.
If you don't excel in these areas I highly recommend you take
some classes or include hiring a copywriter in the budget.
You can create the most beautiful and functional site on the
web but if the content is poorly written the site will be
ineffective and will probably fail.
You should get the bulk of the content from the client. No
one knows their business better than they do. But you'll still
need to tweak or, more probably, rewrite what they provide
for presentation on the web. Web content should be much different
than traditional media because users read differently on the
web. The client will probably provide content that was developed
for traditional media, perhaps from a brochure. Or if they
are a new venture and developing content for the first time
they will probably style the information after traditional
marketing methods. For the site to be effective you'll need
to rewrite the content to accommodate online readers.
Writing for the Web
The Cluetrain Manifesto
Refine Creative Concepts
While the client is writing up their content you'll be modifying
the comps and presenting them for client review/feedback.
You should limit the draft reviews to three or four cycles.
If you don't the process could stretch on for months. You
may get a client that can't make up their mind, or one that
requests modification after modification until your original
strategies are diluted and the site loses its effectiveness.
This is akin to scope creep. Make it clear to the client from
the beginning and include the limit in the specs.
By the end of Step 4 you should have reached an agreement
on the final comp, and the client should have delivered their
content to you for your rewrite. Are you ready for production?
Step 4: Design Development >
Overview
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