Many clients who start working with us or call in to estimate project price are unaware of how complicated and elaborate the process of website creation is. It requires intensive work and at least a few specialists in digital marketing: project manager, UX designer, graphic designer, coder, programmer and copywriter.
Knowledge of the whole team is combined and results in the final high quality product tailored perfectly to the client and his client needs. The following post is meant to explain how we understand responsible website creation at FROGRIOT, how the whole process looks and why it is worth to invest in product that will generate actual profit.
Step 1 – Analysis of the client’s requirements, talks and briefs
The first stage of work on the website actually starts before the evaluation! Usually it is initiated by the client sending us a brief, or a general request in response to which we send a brief to be filled out. Then we get down to questions and talks which will specify the project. Don’t be surprised if we ask you many questions – that’s a natural part of the process. We always strive to get to know the clients as well as we can, and there is no better way of doing that than by understanding the client’s vision and expectations. At this stage of work, a contact person in the company (e.g. account manager) starts talks regarding the project with the team. It is already at this stage that initial aims are determined and the first vision as well as an outline of the website is created.
Step 2 – Evaluation
Based on the analysis we evaluate the website, showing how much human resources and materials the particular functionalities and website parts will require. We present it to the client in a transparent manner so that he can see how many people finally will take part in the project and what support he can receive. Very often the evaluation includes a clause informing that the final product price may change by about +/- 30%. This is typical for this type of business, as the product itself takes form in the process of UX design (User Experience Design about which we write below). Only after finishing this process, the final form, and thus the cost of a website, can be known. After evaluation, we sign the contract and begin working on the project. We start from UX.
Step 3 – UX/UI design
At FROGRIOT we think that UX design is the most important part of the whole creation process of the website. Depending on the budget size allotted for the website, UX design may take just a few days or as long as a few weeks. User Experience is that important because, exactly at this stage, the detailed concept of the website, based on the obtained information and requirements, is created. Success of your website depends mainly on UX. As our client, you always take part in this process and the more you are into it the better for the final result of the work.
We start the process with gathering requirements and talks with clients. Depending on the project, a part of the requirements will be gathered at the brief stage while the rest at this stage. This allows us to get to know our client’s product or service well, as well as to determine detailed aims and ways of measuring their success. At this moment we also analyze the actions of direct competition by listing valuable and bad practices.
Generating ideas is the next stage of UX design. It includes talks regarding the best potential solutions for our client, those worth using during creation of sketches or templates. In order to determine the information architecture, we create a sitemap. Based on it, we can create general navigation and the most important website templates (mockups), which will be the initial basis for the whole website. At this moment, it is possible to carry out tests of the created templates on the website users and make sure if we are moving in the right direction. On the basis of the most important templates we create all templates necessary for the website operation and we move to graphic design.
Process of UX / UI Design
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UX Design process for moose.pl
In case of the project for MOOSE Centrum Języków Obcych, the client asked us to redesign the school’s current website, which was outdated and not effective when it comes to sales. The analysis process of requirements and UX design showed that the need is much more serious. After about 3 weeks of intensive work, we proposed to the client a completely different approach – the first website for language schools in Poland with sales support. After another 2 weeks we already had aims, models, user paths prepared and we got down to our work.
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Step 4 – Graphic design
The moment of creation of the first graphic designs is usually the most appealing stage for clients. At this point, they see that our work takes form and real (what is important – attractive) shapes. Depending on the previous decisions, we prepare the ordered number of alternative projects of the home page. The client selects one of the projects and we prepare it according to the jointly agreed guidelines. Then we smoothly move on to graphic design for different screen width (sometimes we use Mobile First approach, other times we traditionally create a desktop view and later a mobile view). In a similar way, next subpage projects are successively designed.
At FROGRIOT, it is important for the graphic designer to participate in the part of UX/UI process – then we are sure that aims set for this project as well as brand and image of the created website are well understood.
Step 5 – Coding, programming and CMS
The programmers’ work starts at UX Design stage, when they take part in usability tests, thanks to which, similarly to graphic designers, they can get to know the client and project aims better. After finishing graphic works, the coding of graphic views into HTML begins. Often at this moment, we create the necessary elements based on JS technology. Parallel to coding, we start working on programing, as well as configuring and modifying CMS system that will meet all the requirements. The last task is connecting CMS with coded views and creation of the final website.
The box below contains information about why coding is not always equal and what factors can influence the final result of work. This was presented with the example of a project implemented for Meroway.pl.
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Front-end programming for Meroway.pl
We have created a website for Meroway.pl that was meant to run on any portable device, mainly tablets. We quickly noticed that it was worth adding something extra to it and decided to slightly animate page elements so that they would fit its character better. Potentially we could have coded the page so that its elements would be static and meet the conditions of the agreement. However, at FROGRIOT we always strive to make the experience of using our websites multidimensional and satisfying. Reception of a website, whose some elements are movable and visually consistent, is quite different than in case of a dead website. We always pay attention to such details as in our experience they’re often omitted or not taken into account by our clients. The idea to animate the website was spot on. The result of our coding works can be even seen on the home page or expedition page.
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At FROGRIOT special attention is paid to website optimization – we want the website to work as quickly as possible and to be available on the biggest range of devices. We apply a part of the optimization practices when creating a code, and the other parts when the optimization is done, as “cleaning”. A comprehensive article on optimization was written by our senior developer – Paweł – and you can read it here (coming soon).
Step 6 – Preparing the content
Parallel to the graphic works and programming, we are also working on the content of your website. We have a team of copywriters who create stories, materials and texts that will sell the products or services of our clients. Sometimes the clients completely forget about the aspect of website content – we know that this is perhaps the most important element of the website. The better the content, the better the website works, and the more benefits the users get. Whereas even the prettiest and best-coded website without proper content, will not work as it should. Therefore, we strongly encourage our clients to give priority to the process of website content creation and urge them to allocate an adequate budget for it. It may be the case that it will be even bigger than the budget allocated for creating a website.
Step 7 – Tests
After all the works are finished, there comes the time for final testing. At FROGRIOT we always include tests in the price evaluation. The tests consist of checking the proper operation of all functionalities as well as the proper display of the website on mobile devices. Firstly, we test the website on our own using software and hardware, and later send the approved website to the client. We collect the final feedback, introduce the necessary improvements, make final amendments and prepare for the launch.
Step 8 – Launching the website
The premiere of a website is always an exciting moment. The whole work performed by our team and the client will finally see the light of day. Moreover, everyone is eagerly anticipating the first feedback from the users, which may vary as people’s tastes do. But no worries – if the UX design stage is well implemented, usually it is possible to avoid shortcomings and problems. However, it’s not the end.
Step 9 – Further service and new functionalities
At FROGRIOT we believe that work on the project is a continuous process. At the moment of project completion (the premiere of the website or application) we conclude only one cycle. If the project was approached responsibly, these cycles repeat regularly. After the premiere, we get a lot of feedback about how users navigate on our website or on which subpages they leave. Such data allows us to draw appropriate conclusions, which lead to making finishing touches or introducing new functionalities. The world of digital marketing is changing very quickly; there are new devices, browsers, technologies and solutions appearing all the time. We need to keep our fingers on the pulse, be aware what is worth improving, which solution is already outdated and needs to be changed. We are pleased to offer our expertise and enjoy creating better web products every day.
Process of website creation
What else should you pay attention to?
There are still a few elements the clients should know about. Some aspects worth mentioning are:
How can we help you make your business flourish in digital marketing?
The complete process described above is applied to all projects at FROGRIOT. Our work is not coincidental; activities have a well-grounded purpose and stem from thorough analyses. Responsible website creation is the development of products that always form the basis for the entire digital marketing strategies of our clients. If you expect full support, creative solutions, and above all, people who know all the ropes – you’ve come to the right place.
The above description shows how complicated and time consuming works on creating an effective and eye-catching website are. These few paragraphs do not fully reflect the amount of work we put every day in the website of our client in order to make it popular and profitable. However, our strategy is second to none – it is precise, effective and guarantees success.
If you are looking for someone who will guarantee you the best quality of work, you can stop looking – you have already found them.
