Like any IT project there are four main stages of web design: planning, design, development, and testing. Each stage is important in its own right and helps to create a successful website.
1) Planning.
The planning stage is important because it helps to determine the overall goals and objectives of the website. This stage also involves research so that the designers and developers have a clear understanding of who the website's users will be and what they need and want from the website. At this point you probably should have a clear understanding of what keywords the website is going to be optimised for.
2) Design.
The design stage is important because it's when the website's overall look and feel are created. This includes choosing the right colours, fonts, and layout for the website.
3) Development.
The development stage is important because it's when the website is actually built. This stage involves coding the website and making sure that all of the functionality works as it should.
4) Testing.
The testing stage is important because it's when the website is tested to make sure that everything is working properly. This includes testing the website on different browsers and devices to make sure that there are no glitches. Testing should be conducted across different device types to ensure that the responsive design work is behaving as expected.
The testing phase can be further subdivided into testing by the developer and then subsequent user-acceptance testing by the client.
If a new site is being built where one didn't exist before this testing can be done on the live domain as the site is built and if necessary certain pages can be hidden from being found.
If a site is being built to replace an existing website then it should be built on a separate domain and then copied across to the live domain when the site has been signed off to go live.
By following these different stages, you can be sure that your website will be well-designed, user-friendly, and free of any obvious bugs. Another benefit is that it helps to save time and money. By following the different stages, you can avoid having to go back and make changes later on. And finally, by following the stages of web design, you can be sure that your website will be user-friendly and accessible to everyone.
