Are you curious about how the web design process works in practice? Not sure what you can expect when working with a professional web designer?
While not all web designers operate in the same way, there are some common steps that many of them will follow during the website design process. There’s a lot of care that goes into creating a great website, and there’s more to it than you might expect.
Here’s what the web design process looks like in practice.
1. Goal-Setting
The first step in the web design process is the goal-setting stage.
In this stage, a web designer will speak with a client to get a handle on what they want for their website design and what the website’s purpose will be. The designer may discuss who a client’s target customers are, who their competition is, and what they want their website to look like.
Remember that your goals may vary based on your industry and what your needs are. If you’re a solopreneur designing or improving your website, for example, you’ll want to make sure to learn about these 10 steps.
2. Planning
In the planning stage, web designers will determine what web pages and features the site needs to meet the client’s goals.
During planning, a designer may create a sitemap and will begin developing the structure for the site and will create wireframes for it. They’ll also set a timeline and may seek additional feedback from a client to get the plan right.
3. Design
In the design process, a web developer or designer will begin to make decisions regarding the appearance of the site and will build off of the wireframes. A designer will begin with static images and will make a non-working prototype of the site.
The designer will determine the color scheme and will choose typography, visual elements, and media. They’ll also add branding and will start thinking about user-friendliness, responsiveness, and accessibility.
4. Development
In the development stage of web design, the designers will begin to build out the site.
The designer will transform any static images and prototypes for pages that have been created into HTML, CSS, and Javascript. They may also work on security, performance features, and search engine optimization (SEO).
Additionally, there will also be plenty of testing during this stage to ensure that all bugs are fixed before launch.
5. Launch
Once the design has been completed, the website will be ready to be launched.
During this stage, final testing will occur, and the performance of the site will be evaluated. The site will be transferred to the client and will help handle any integrations with Google Analytics, email marketing tools, or ads.
6. Maintenance and Support
While this stage is optional, many clients will choose to get ongoing support. After the site is built, the web designer may offer additional support and troubleshooting and can help with updates and additional installations as time goes by.
There are many other types of support and maintenance that can be provided by a designer as well, and this can be decided on by the client and the web designer. If you’re searching for the best web developer around, make sure to ask what maintenance and support they’ll provide.
Understanding the Web Design Process
If you’re wondering what to expect from the web design process, consider all of the information above. The web design process has a lot of steps to it, but each of them is critical if you want to make the perfect professional website as a small business owner.
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