What is Involved in the Web Design Process?

A website is made up of many different parts, and each part takes considerable consideration on the part of the web designer or developer to bring fruition. But how exactly does a successful website design grow from an initial idea to a strong web presence?

Although no website is made in exactly the same way, there are six general phases to the web design process:

1. Research: The research stage of a web design begins when the client approaches the designer with a request for a new website. The initial meeting between web designer and client allows for a design brief to be made, outlining the requirements for the website design and determining the intended audience.
2. Plan: Once all the necessary research has been conducted, including discovering what the goals of the website are and what kind of content it will include, it is time to put together a site map for the web design. A site map is a visual representation of the structure of the web design.
3. Design: With the 'bones' of the web page design structure in place, it is possible to begin considering the appearance and feel of the website. This stage may take some time, as frequent consultation between the web page designer and client is necessary to achieve a web page design that pleases everyone. Consideration of the target audience is very important during the design phase.
4. Development: During this stage, the website design is transformed from a design to a functional website. The web developer usually begins by forming the home page, then creating a navigational shell for interior pages. Content, including text and images, is distributed to the separate pages of the web design. Other elements such as interactive features, online forms and shopping carts are also implemented at this stage.
5. Testing and Launch: Before a website design can be launched fully it must be tested for compatibility on different browsers and hardware. The functionality of navigation and interactive content must also be tested to ensure the website runs smoothly. The website can then be uploaded to a server and made viewable to the public.
6. Maintenance: The web design must then be maintained throughout its life to ensure it attracts viewers. Regularly updated content is the best way to encourage repeated views to your site, and clients can easily update their own websites with inbuilt Content Management Systems (CMS). SEO is another ongoing practice that encourages increased traffic to a website.