Our Web Design Methodology

Provided By
FocusDirect

Process Overview
Extensive, detailed briefing process for defining requirements, including wire-framing Full Content Audit and Technical Specification Concept creation - typically 1 home/landing page and 1 generic inner page subject to requirements 3 rounds of revisions Technical/functional analysis Design of all site-wide content objects, elements, functionality and processes as defined by the Technical Project Manager (TPM) Art Direction for the duration of the entire project

Description
We focused solely on providing an extensible solution to design for large, dynamic content management systems. We address the known issues of scalability and design degradation over time. Your firm will conduct the design briefing and concept creation processes, whilst a Technical Project Manager (from your firm, unless contracted to FocusDirect) will compile the Content Audit and Technical Specification necessary for the design process. An appointed Art Director (from your firm unless contracted to FocusDirect) for the entire lifespan of the project will ensure the design requirements are fully catered for, from the initial concepts, through to your site going live and beyond.

The Process Steps Explained

Briefing
The briefing phase is split into two parts that run in parallel; the creative design brief, and the technical brief. This process enables us to design for a dynamic and extensible site, rather than a static, brochureware site. It requires that the project be defined fully, up-front, so that we know exactly what we are designing, and to eliminate any guesswork.

FocusDirect 17 Adenike Ogunye Street, Magodo GRA Shangisha Telephone: 01 896 8416, 070 606 94202 Email: ebusiness@fddigital.com

Briefing A - Design
Its focus is the creative requirements, including the overall aesthetics, or look and feel of your site, and the way your brand is to be represented online. This is also where we gather/discuss your requirements for usability and accessibility, and other important factors such as site structure and information architecture. The same process of completing a design brief and wireframing your site takes place, but more time is allocated to market research, and to working closely with you on defining the objectives of your online solution.

Briefing B - Technical
During the technical briefing phase, your TPM (Technical Project Manager) will gather all the necessary information to collate a report, the results of which are used to inform the mashable design phase. The bulk of this work goes into amassing the data for a full content audit and technical specification. These two deliverables will ultimately be used to assess the objects and elements which need to be designed, ensuring that nothing is missed, and also, crucially, that these objects/elements are considered in relation to each other. This enables us to predict the way in which your site will grow and change over time, and allowances can be made for this in the design. It is this approach to designing for content that allows us to crossover into technical product design and leave behind the numerous problems associated with dynamic CMSs and brochureware designs.

Concept Creation
Based on the design brief and wire-frames, the creative phase of Concept Creation begins. It is our aim to be as certain as possible at this stage on how the overall aesthetics, or look and feel, will appear. Our extensive expertise in online design ensures that our work is not only of the highest quality aesthetically, but that it also adheres to the strictest and most current usability and accessibility guidelines. Once the concepts have been completed there will be an unveil meeting, during which we will present the key elements of the design and our approach. Following this, you will have time to sit with the designs, show them to all necessary parties, and form a list of any required alterations or amendments. This feedback is then collated and a meeting held, if required, to discuss. At this point a final list is created and the Revision Process can begin.

Revisions Process
This process gives us the chance to fine-tune our designs. Its a helpful time to reflect and make adjustments, where necessary, as we now have a real visual point to work from. Once the revision phase is completed and we are satisfied with the design, the project can be moved into the Build Phase.
FocusDirect 17 Adenike Ogunye Street, Magodo GRA Shangisha Telephone: 01 896 8416, 070 606 94202 Email: ebusiness@fddigital.com

Project Scope
While we are working on your creative concepts and revisions, the TPM works on assimilating all the information gathered in the technical briefing phase. The deliverables for this are a full Content Audit and Technical Specification, the results of which are used to inform us in the Final Design phase.

Mashable Design
At this point, the creative process and the technical process - that have thus far been conducted separately - come together. Using the signed-off creative design concepts and project scope, we now address your sites design requirements from a technical point of view. This includes grouping all of your content and assets according to the way they will appear. The grouped objects and elements can then be considered in relation to each other; meaning user journeys can be mapped and specific processes defined. This method of designing for content and process is how we are able to eliminate the chance of missing out vital elements and functionality that could be over-looked in a traditional templatedriven design process.

Testing, Feedback/Revisions & Documentation

At this stage, we test the design files for their performance based on scenarios, to ensure user journeys are adequately thought through, and that all objects, elements and eventualities have been considered. Once we are satisfied with the results of this testing, a meeting is held to present the work and explain the files; after which a time period is decided for feedback and subsequent revisions. When all parties concerned are satisfied, we are able to sign-off the design creation process, at which point your designer will create a Design Handbook, which can be used as a guide to the designs we have created, and to provide the implementer of the designs with all the information they will need.

Art Direction
We will now oversee the cut-up (recreating the design in HTML/CSS) and implementation (into the CMS) of your design to ensure its integrity is maintained. This involves an internal hand-over meeting with the technical staff member charged with cutting-up the design, regular on-going support for the technical team members working on the cut-up/implementation of the design, and regular QA (quality assurance) meetings at key stages throughout the project.

FocusDirect 17 Adenike Ogunye Street, Magodo GRA Shangisha Telephone: 01 896 8416, 070 606 94202 Email: ebusiness@fddigital.com

These stages include (but are not limited to) Alpha and Beta delivery, pre Go-Live, and also a post Go-Live date. This ensures that no important decisions that could have a negative effect on the aesthetics, usability and/or accessibility of your site are made without the overseeing authorization of an expert in those fields. Art Direction continues throughout the Beta, pre- and post- go live stages in your sites development; you are safeguarded against errors made by members within your own organization. During these stages, the system is handed over to you to input content and refine the site structure. This can often be a key problem area as, for most clients, this will be a time of learning the new system and multiple new users may have access to the system, resulting in increased risk of mistakes. By offering consistent Art Direction, we are able to ensure that any problems are highlighted and corrected early on, which is of crucial importance during the infancy of your new site. See the diagram below for key stages in the development process

FocusDirect 17 Adenike Ogunye Street, Magodo GRA Shangisha Telephone: 01 896 8416, 070 606 94202 Email: ebusiness@fddigital.com

FocusDirect 17 Adenike Ogunye Street, Magodo GRA Shangisha Telephone: 01 896 8416, 070 606 94202 Email: ebusiness@fddigital.com