The process of elaborating a web site

The process of elaborating a web site is in its essence a production process: in the beginning we have at our disposal an idea and materials and in the end - a finished product. We call the production of web applications immaterial because the final product can't be touched - it's spread in an electronic environment. It's a product of the intelectual work of designers, artists and programmers. Despite this it's easily described with the help of the same questions, which are asked by every other production's description: What is the final product? What are its goals and applications? With what kind and how many materials is it being produced? What kind of and how much work is being put in it? What is the price?

Like every other physical production this also is divided in two different kinds - production of a unique product and serial production. Parameters like quality control, market valuation etc. have even been introduced.

In order to describe the process of elaboration and to answer the previous questions, we will examine the stages needed to be fulfiled when creating a company's web site:

1. Defining the goals of the web site

Usually, here is where it all starts...

The goals which you can set for you future web site are countless. Here are the most common ones:

to introduce its owner in a proper way
to present and/or demonstrate products and services
to attract new partners

Shortly: The web site should be an instrument in its owners fight for bigger profit.

2. Creating a work specification

In order for the desired result and the goals set for the web site to be achieved, confidence is needed that the actions of all participants in its creation are headed in the right direction. The only way this to happen certainly is when there's a plan.

The web site is examined as a project. Its realization - as a sequence of previously specified actions. And the final result - as a number of parameters, which have to be achieved.

The work specification is a descriptive model of the final product. Its creation begins with the first conversation with the client - notes are being taken, sketches drawn, functionality and graphic design are being commented upon. After the parameters have been specified, a hosting is being chosen, consistent with the technical requirements, which the web site will set. The work specification is being approved by the client and the work for its fulfilment begins.

3. Designing the information's architecture

How many and what pages will be in the web site? Will their content be connected in a hierarchy? Will this content be dynamic - how often will content be changed and/or added? Will there be a user's system, which realizes access limits to information for definite user groups? These are only part of the questions, asked during this stage. The data base is being designed here, the search possibilities in the web site are planned. The file structure of the web site is defined, in how many and what components (pages, columns, menus) will it show, on what level and with what restrictions will the visitors have access to it.

4. Navigation design

Now it's time to define the ways through which the visitors will pass from one component into the other, which are the events, provoking change in the contents. The structure of links in the web site is being defined.

According to statistics, 15-20% of the visitors of web sites exit them without finding what they have searched for. This is why we should pay special attention to the design of the navigation structure. Too many pages without appropriate links between them and unintuitive arrangement of the site's components are obstacles for its usability and convenience. If the visitor does not find easily the things because of which he has opened the web site, it's very probable that he won't try again.

5. Design of the graphic part in the web site

The graphic design is probably the most important step in the web site's elaboration. The following work is being fulfiled during this stage:

the composition is defined
the color range is defined
fonts are chosen
models of the repeating components are elaborated
scheme for the component's position is created
models of the first and inner pages are created
suitable effects are chosen

The firm's style of the client and the work specifications are taken in consideration.

Often, in order to achieve a unique and synchronous with our client's notion graphic layout, a couple of designers independently from one another prepare graphic models at the same time. They are presented and discussed over with the client - he has the right to choose the model, which best suits his perception of aesthetic look.

6. Software part of the project

After we have the graphic models, the information structure, the description of the functions of all components, we are ready to "bring them to life":

The model of the data base is created;
HTML components are prepared from the graphic models;
A content management system is built;
An administrative part is elaborated;
The access control system is created;
The planned user interaction features are created;
The effects, defined by the graphic and navigation design, are applied and/or programmed;
A validation system for information entered through forms is elaborated;
Others.

Basic principles during the realizations in this stage are:

Strict observance of the work specification
Applying the established practices for structuring and documenting the code
Compatibility of the product with as many server platforms as possible is ensured
The incompatibilities between the popular browsers are overcommed, so all users can use the web site in the same way
A special URLs rewriting and routing system is created so the addresses of site's components are easily read by search engine robots and crawlers.

Among the technologies, which we use to realize the server side of the web site are:

Programming: PHP, Perl, CGI and system applications
Data base: MySql, PostgreSql, Sqlite

For the realization of the front end of the web site:

HTML/DHTML, XHTML, XML, CSS
JavaScript, ActionScript, AJAX
Web2 visual effects
Flash animations

7. Entering web site's content, testing

According to plan, the product is ready. It's time to proove that it's true.

We enter the information, which forms the content of the web site. We carry out a number of tests. We inspect the code, follow the values of system load. If everything is within its norms - the web site is ready to be hosted on a production server.

Our experience shows that no matter how many efforts we put in creating our products, the possibility of defects to occur cannot be completely eliminated. To assure our customers' confidence that the web site will do the job it's expected to and achieve the goals, set for it, we provide a timely technical support if a defect occurs in any of our products. This is our production guarantee.

8. Search engine optimization (SEO)

So, the web site is already working. It looks perfect - organized and unique content, stunning effects and the most intuitive navigation in the whole Internet history. It presents the client, his company, services and products in their best light. But... nobody knows about its existence yet.

One of the most popular methods for finding the information we need in Internet is using search engines (like google.com, yahoo.com etc.). This way of finding sites in Internet has become so popular that a new "science" has been born to describe it - SEO. The name is an abbreviation for Search Engine Optimization - the process of optimizing a web site so it is "search engine friendly" and easy to find. In combination with a well planned promotion this method gives excellent results and the web site becomes one of the most searched and visited web sites, based on the subject of its contents.

The SEO for web sites includes a number of procedures:

optimization of the site's code;
selecting the most appropriate keywords and page descriptions;
contents' optimization;
registration of the web site in thematic portal sites (corresponding to the content which you're introducing);
registration of the web site in search engine data bases (some of them have "spiders", which go through the web periodically - they index new and update the content of existing web sites, while by others the site must be added manually);
participation in partnership banner and link exchange programs;
participation in paid banner and link exchange programs;
participation in PayPerClick programs.

The owner-companies of search engines keep in deep secret the algorithm of calculating page ranks and due to this reason there is no perfect formula by which we or any other company could make you get listed a 100% at the top of the search result pages. What we could do for you is to optimize and think through precisely the structure, contents, the way of presenting and popularizing your web site, which would indisputably give high results and will lead it up to the top positions.

It's important to note that the process of optimization and popularizing doesn't end with the creation of the web site and its presentation to the public. Constant cares are needed in order for it to be up-to-date, search engine friendly, popular, accessible and interesting for the visitors.