The Process
Many development shops will insist that a high level of process is required to efficiently complete a web development project. They're wrong... there's a better way.
Web development shouldn't be something you hand off to your designer/developer and walk away from. If you want the best results from your web project, it has to be a collaborative process between you and me... working together to create a product we can both be proud of.
Typically, a design project goes like this:
- Client provides a single-page (or less) summary of what they want the site or application to do.
- I quote either on a per-hour or per-job basis.
- Contract is signed.
- I create an initial design, solicit feedback from the client and refine the design.
- I begin development, soliciting feedback from the client and refining both the application and the design as needed.
- Project is completed.
Notice there's no mention of "signing off" or "locking down". That's because the web isn't like packaged software... you can always change things at any time. I've found that while this flexibility can be a risk for me, clients love that they're never locked into a design that can't change as the application evolves. I can't predict the future and neither can you... why rely on a process that assumes we can?