Website Development Methodology

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

This is FirstPlus Website Development Methodology. It describes how FirstPlus develops the information architecture and graphic design for a corporate website.

REQUIREMENTS

FirstPlus develops websites that will give visitors a positive impression of the organization.  Specifically the following are required:

1. The “look and feel” of the website must be very professional, corporate and reassuring to potential visitors,

2. The site will be easy to navigate and information will be structured so as to enable different users to find the information that is relevant to them.

3. The design will be flexible enough so that it could be extended should the priorities for communication through the website change.

4. There should be a Content Management System (CMS) and template based system to enable technical administration of the site.

5. It should support unlimited email, real audio and video facilities,, search engine submission, powerful stopping cart, and audio streaming

OBJECTIVE

Our main objective is to develop a website that is very professional and corporate looking with easy navigation. Some of the modules will be dynamic so that the website can be updated as often as required with minimum effort.

STRUCTURE OF THE WEBSITE

The website will have into 3 main parts.

1.       Front end

Front End, is the section which will be accessible to the end users and end users will be able to find information about your corporation that is published in the website. It displays the contents published, provided navigation and links to different web pages. 

2.       Admin panel

Admin panel is an interface from where the website and its facilities can be managed and administered. It is only accessible to the systems administrator. It involves all activities for maintaining, supporting configuring the website, the users security and management, updating the content of the dynamic modules of the website, email activity and facility, password administration, statistical analysis, CMS and search engine administration, providing backup and security administration.

3.           Back end

This is the section where the information in the website is stored. It will be updated by the admin panel and accessed from the front end. It includes the database, coding, data dictionary, accessing links CMS facilities, search engines facility and so on.

HOW WE WORK – web design process

FirstPlus’s website design process is as follows:

Step 1.        Project Planning Meeting – Kick of meeting

The project starts with the Project Planning Meeting: Kick-Off Meeting. The aims of this meeting are as follows:

To introduce our Project Manager, Lead designer and other team members

• To also know team lead and members

• To allocate resources and define expectations

• To set up a communication and reporting process

• To review the project schedule, establish milestones and assign responsibilities

• To brief on necessary guidelines (to be adopted) in the website design and development.

Step 2.        INFORMATION GATHERING

This involves the gathering of information  and their activities including mission, vision, values, logo, back ground, competitors, parastatals and agencies, colour, formats etc. During this period, all the initial information to be published in the website will be collected:

Step 3.        DESIGN OF INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE

At this stage the information are analysed and organised to produce the proposed information architecture showing content, structure, flow, navigation and links. The file design structures, flowcharts and data dictionary will also be developed.

Also, two draft designs of the home page and in-dept layout with suggested content; colours and topology will be produced

Step 4.        WORKTHROUGH PRESENTATION AND APPROVAL

Here, the proposed information architecture and the two draft design web pages (home page and in-dept pages)  will be presented to the client. The client can then assess the design and suggest revisions, or amendments. Choose one and approve.

Step 5.        Construction of the website

Once the design is approved in stage 4 above, FirstPlus begins to construct the in-dept pages, formatting and adding the content as client supplied. The client will have the visibility of each page as it is built. As the website is being constructed, the pages will posted in an online in a secured area for you to view. Your viewing of the site and making suggestion, changes and continuous feedback are required in order to get your website look exactly the way our client requires it.

Step 6.        LUNCHING And Hosting

On approval of the final templates, FirstPlus will move the site to the chosen hosting environment and test thoroughly external connections and resolves any problem that may arise.

Step 7.        MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT

This is more of a philosophy than an actual stage. To ensure continuous improvement and reduce down time to ensure that the anticipated Return On Investment and business benefits are realized