Effectual Web’s focus is USABLE website design — proudly producing high quality products that enhance your business. You have business goals, and an effectual web site can work for you to achieve those goals.
My Approach to Website Design
- Collaborate – work with you to figure out what will work best for your type of business
- Gather – gather the content for the site
- Review – review your current site
- Implement – apply a design to your site
- Communicate – make sure I understand your needs
- Test and Tweak – test the site thoroughly on multiple browsers and devices
- Launch – on the Internet for the world to see
- Evaluate – follow-up with a final review and discuss continuing care (since no website is ever really “done”)
Collaborate
Effectual Web works with you throughout the design and evaluation process. I recognize the importance of sitting down and spending time understanding the business you are in and the message you want to send to your clients. I also know the value of including you in all design stages to ensure that we provide what you want, as well as need.
Gather
Interview For Content. The initial stage of a project involves collecting information. Effectual Web works with you to learn your business objectives and listens to what you expect from a website. I have a list of questions to work from. They not only provide the information I need, but they’ll get you thinking about what you want.
Review
Effectual Web reviews your site for Look and Feel and Ease of Use. As Usability Engineers, we approach everything from the point-of-view of your customers or site visitors. We know that in order to win clients with the web, your site must be easily navigated and the content must be clear and concise. We know that website visitors leave at the first sign of confusing page layout or frustration with loading times. After an initial consultation we will provide a quote and a schedule.
Integrate and Implement
Effectual Web pulls everything together and implements the design. We have the content.We have the graphics. We have chosen a design. We have organized the structure. Effectual Web’s experienced team of web developers goes to work building or enhancing your site.
Communicate
Are we getting close? Are you feeling good about the website presence? Are we including all the information we should to describe your business products or services?
Test
Test Test Test. Effectual Web performs thorough usability testing of the site before launching. The best way to find out how your site appears to others is to view it on all types of environments, under different conditions. All sites we design are tested on different machines, with varying connections speeds, monitor resolutions, operating systems, and browsers. All links and buttons are tested so that no visitors end up with the infamous “Page not available message.”
In addition, we use team members who are not involved in the design phases to test. Someone closely tied to the site design may not view it as a newbie does. Our testers also provide usability feedback on the site. They report if something is confusing or lacking. You can be assured your site will go through rigorous testing before being released to the world.
Need more information to understand the significant value of usability testing? Check out Jakob Nielsen’s site, www.useit.com. He is the universally recognized authority on Internet usability and design.
Review
Voila. Effectual Web shows you the product of our collaboration. We will go over the benefits and prepare for release. We are in the homestretch now.
Launch
Your website is available for the world to see.
Evaluate
Post-launch Review. Effectual Web will run through your site after it is released to ensure
everything is in order. If requested, we will gladly train you or other personnel to make updates. Many textual changes can easily be made once you know how.
Or instead, sign up Effectual Web to provide the Maintenance. It is a good value, and that way you can be sure that updates will be implemented. No more deserted content. This is yet another way to ensure your site maintains it value and continues to work for your business.