Practice shows that not all clients understand how web product development works. The main aspects of creating a web product and pricing remain unclear to them. However, the more concise the result appears, the more effort is spent during the project development process.
Website development is a labor-intensive process that involves analysts, project managers, UX/UI designers, front-end and back-end developers, testers, and more. Let's take a closer look at what happens at each stage.
I. IDENTIFICATION OF MAIN TASKS AND CREATION OF TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (TS)
The technical specification regulates the course of development from beginning to end. It includes the distribution of responsibilities and takes into account possible risks. To create the document correctly, experience is required, which will provide a precise understanding of how everything will happen. For example, for design, pre-project research is obligatory: usability audits, business and consumer/competitive analyses.
II. PROTOTYPING
A website prototype is a sketch with already worked-out user scenarios: what will happen if a visitor clicks the "order" button, wants to compare products, or apply for credit. The number of unique and typical pages is calculated, and an information architecture is created. Based on this, a user interface that meets all user needs is developed.
III. DESIGN CONCEPT AND RESPONSIVENESS
A visual layout is developed that gives an idea of what the web product will look like at launch. At the same time, preparations are made for typical pages adapted for various devices.
IV. WEBSITE CODING (FRONT-END DEVELOPMENT)
The approved design layout is implemented as code, creating pages using HTML and CSS styles. All website images are adapted for any browser and device: desktop, tablet, smartphone, and other gadgets.
V. FUNCTIONAL PROGRAMMING (BACKEND/FRONTEND)
Work on the internal software content of the website: management system, database, upload and download mechanisms, notification and email modules, forms, applications, and more. These actions are not visible to visitors but are essential for the website's operation.
VI. WEBSITE TESTING
Everything done during web development undergoes testing. This includes manual testing of the user experience and unit testing of modules. This is done by programmers, testers, and even the client.
VII. DELIVERY AND LAUNCH
The project is transferred to hosting, and the website successfully goes live on the internet. Developers either provide access and say goodbye, or they continue to collaborate as technical support for the web application.
