Defining the Process
Concept
Clearly define the purpose of the site. Who is the audience? What is the character, message, feel?
Content
What type of information is being conveyed and how. How will the data be structured, stored, and accessed? How will it be organized, tagged, and navigated?
Wireframing
Develop the layout of the site. Determine what types of pages there will be: feature, index, directory, form, search. Create page elements: header, footer, sidebar, navigation.
Visuals
What is this thing going to look like? Decide on colors, fonts, imagery. How does the concept influence the style? Is there a feeling or mood you are trying to create?
Behavior
How is the site navigated? How does the user interact with the site? Are there messages, forms, and feedback? Is the there motion, transitions, animations?
Tools
What is the server and database setup? Generate HTML, CSS, and scripts. What is the content management system? Setup your URLs, directory structure, and development environment.
Deploy
Feedback
How is the site being used? Study the analytics data. Is the site achieving its purpose?
