Web design and development may seem complicated because you will be dealing with coding, creating prototypes, dealing with clients, programming, and testing. However, you can make the entire web design process easier by coming up with a practical checklist. You can use it to increase the likelihood that you will cover all the essential parts. While creating a web development checklist, you need to focus more on your customers rather than whether aesthetics of your site are pleasing you. Concentrating on your customers when creating a website helps you realize tremendous benefits once the web design and development processes are complete.
Below is a ultimate web design and development checklist that will help you cover all the critical aspects of this kind of work:
Step 1
Understand the Development Process
Your web design process should provide a detailed account of what is achievable and how achieving it possible. In this case, you can use the waterfall methodology that is a bit more traditional but gives a clear scope of work from the beginning of the project. Use this method when you have ample time because it is comprehensive. It is also a bit rigid, and any new ideas or requested changes can change your budget significantly. Before adopting this method, you must be ready for possible changes in future because developers get new ideas as the project continues.
If you are looking for simplicity and flexibility wrapped up in one parcel, consider the agile methodology. The method breaks down the requirements into their most straightforward use and handles every required in small controlled phases. You can add any essentials to the project as it proceeds. Consequently, a fixed budget may be an excellent idea, but you it can change with changing circumstance. However, you need to work with a team of trusted designers because a complete description of the final product does not exist. Before choosing either of these methodologies, make sure you understand the pros and cons associated with each one of them.
Always discuss the process with the web app development company to make sure that both sides are on the same page.
Step 2
Complete Prerequisite Tasks
Before embarking on web development project, you need to ask yourself how the customers perceive your business. Are you and your customers happy with your branding? Answers to such questions help you when it comes to creating a website that portrays your brand in a positive light. You can explain the changes undertaken in your business in case you are doing a website upgrade.
Step 3
Clarify your Delivery Requirements
One way to show your commitment to success is by giving your team a platform to advise you on whether your web design ideas are up to standard or not. Take the extra mile of backing up your creative works once you are clear that what you want to provide to your business is error free. Designers or companies that ignore this point end up having great websites. Unfortunately, they also have unattractive words and horrendous images. That happens when the developer focuses on the requirements as stipulated by the client while forgetting that quality control is also a critical aspect of website design.
Step 4
Balance the Time you have To Come Up with A Quality Site
One way to ensure that you launch a quality website that meets all client requirements is spending enough time designing and developing your website. Do not create a website hastily because that doing so will lead to errors or failure. You will not meet all the client requirements. Rushing to launch the website is disastrous because developers will make sloppy mistakes. Ensure you set aside enough time for every site development phases. Doing so gives the team enough space to develop the site to perfection and not for the sake of completion. The best way to avoid rushing is discussing with the team and agreeing how long the development is likely to take.
Step 5
Divide Responsibilities among the Team Members
As the project manager, you need to ensure each member of the development team has tasks assigned to him. Set a deadline for each assignment to avoid delays. Test them as one unit once they are complete. Usually, testing is a hard task, and many people hate doing it. However, it is a necessary step as it is the only way to know if the website is running as expected. You can test the site by sending links to senior stakeholders or colleagues asking them to examine how well the site is working. Take note of their responses even if you do not like them
Step 6
Create a Post-Launch Web Development Road Map
You will make additional changes in future if you want to remain competitive. For instance, you might require specific plugins or notable features that you missed as you prepared the initial design. For this reason, you need to remain open to accommodate such additions. Be sure to inform the users so that they can come up with any useful suggestions as they continue using the website.
Step 7
Synchronize the Website with your Marketing Strategy
When designing your website, keep in mind any possible changes that may happen in your marketing requirements during the months you will be doing the development. Cooperate with all departments within the business to ensure that all the details on the site are relevant to the company. Remember that a website is part of your digital marketing strategy. Observe any online trends as you develop your site.
Step 8
Always Check the Functionality of the Website
Occasionally, you should check your website to see if it continues to deliver as per your intentions when creating it. You can use a set of detail-oriented eyes to help note even the tiniest details amiss in your website. Constant checks ensure that your site is up to date and you update it depending on your business and customer requirements.
Developing a web design and development checklist should not be hard at all. The steps listed above will make the entire process easy and most importantly, they will help you launch a website that will meet the needs of those who will visit it. Get started on your website today. Doing so will help your business in unimaginable ways as long as you do it right. In fact, this web design and development checklist is perfect when it comes to creating a business website.
Having 12 years offering web development services to clients worldwide, hopefully our suggestion is valuable for you when starting a new web development project.