Standard Operating Procedure for Web Design Services

Are you looking to elevate your brand identity with a website? You are in the right pace. Here our process checklist for web site project. This is necessary to communicate clarity on the processes we follow for implementation and must be duly followed. This is most particular to projects to be delivered on content management system (CMS).

Keynotes About Expectations

To enable us deliver results effectively and monitor the progress of the work, we expect that every prospect should follow the processes spelt out here to make results measurable.

  • Project Timeline

    We establish timeline for every project. When changes to timelines are necessary, it should be and followed duly.

  • Accountability

    For mutual understanding, we hold weekly briefing for reports and follow up on the works done. Customers are to make themselves available.

  • Tracking & Reviews

    For better communication during reviews and on-going support meetings, we have a checklists of key metrics to follow up on to measure progress.

We gather initial information on what the client wants to achieve with the project, start to define the project scope and establish suitability of us as supplier through ball-park budget discussion.

Related milestone: Project Proposal Submitted

  • Initial contact with prospect
  • Submission of our web design questionnaire (QUOTE PAGE)
  • Review questionnaire content and schedule 30 minute discovery call
  • Discuss website requirements with client
  • Discuss ball-park budget range to establish suitability
  • Define primary and secondary goals of the site
  • Define primary and secondary calls-to-action
  • Decide core content types
  • Establish schedule & timeline noting any hard requirements
  • Create initial sitemap
  • Schedule further discussion if necessary
  • Create and send formal proposal
  • Invoice initial 80% deposit before commencement

We gather detailed information on how the website should work, including all required features, lists of pages, custom design work required, etc.

Related milestone: Project Basic Information Gathered

  • Send website prototype links for clarity
  • Discuss website requirements in depth with client
  • In the case of a redesign, we take an initial backup of the existing site and make it available to the customer
  • Send our progress checklist to guide every communication
  • Establish visual style and personality
  • Decide basic layout
  • Create high level sitemap and navigation menu mockup
  • Request text content in soft copy for each page from client
  • Request image content (either from client/photographer/stock images)
  • Optional: create low-fidelity wireframe of homepage, content page & any other key pages

Create a logo if good quality logo image cannot be supplied by client (charges apply)

Related milestone: Logo Design Complete

  • Find out if logo design is required or if client can supply a logo image
  • This adds additional one week time extension on the set time
  • Design first 3 logo draft variants based on questionnaire
  • Feedback on first draft
  • Design 2nd round of drafts based on feedback
  • Ask for client feedback on drafts
  • Design 3rd & subsequent draft logos as necessary
  • Ask for client signoff on logo
  • Ask client to download and backup logo image files for future use

We need to either create a new design or choose a pre-existing theme to customize with the client’s logo, look & feel.

Related milestone: Design Template Chosen

  • Create homepage mockups with client logo, colour-scheme, look and feel
  • Ask for client feedback on homepage mockups
  • Implement recommendations, where necessary
  • Create secondary (content) page mockup based on chosen homepage design
  • Ask for client signoff on secondary page mockup

Setup of domain, hosting & content management system.

Related milestone: Hosting Configured

  • Register domain if necessary
  • Change nameservers with registrar
  • Setup domain in our hosting account OR get Control Panel access details for external hosting
  • Create new or find out existing FTP username & password – put in LastPass
  • FTP WordPress files up to site
  • Configure SQL database & wp-config
  • Setup .htaccess file
  • FTP WordPress, Contact-Form and SEO plugins up to site
  • Configure Spam protection/security
  • Backup Settings: setup Gmail address for client website use
  • Configure all plugins
  • Create base Pages in WordPress (Home, About, Contact, Blog, Service , Terms, etc.)
  • Verify Permalinks
  • Change Blog and Home pages in Settings
  • Add admin username & password for design team – put in LastPass

Main design work based on chosen theme.

Related milestone: Design Complete

  • Upload the chosen theme to hosting
  • Rename theme directory to client name
  • Select & activate theme in WP themes options
  • Import & edit theme demo content if available
  • Setup sidebar widgets
  • Customise graphics files and modify CSS
  • Create navigation menu
  • Get client feedback on current status

Add the main content images and text to the site.

Related milestone: Site Main Content Entered

  • Setup page stubs for top level pages from site map
  • Add text to top level page
  • Add images to top level pages
  • Get feedback from client on main content & refactor
  • Show client how to add, edit and remove pages via SAS help videos
  • Ask client for sign-off on top level page content
  • Create 301 redirects for changed URLs and 404 page

If the project scope includes email setup.

Related milestone: Email Setup Complete

  • Get a list of required addresses
  • Create addresses in hosting CP
  • Add usernames & passwords to LastPass
  • Send user/pass list to client
  • Send webmail URL to client

If the project requires Google Apps for Domains email setup, or requires MX records to point at a 3rd party email provider either new or pre-existing.

Related milestone: Email Setup Complete

  • [3rd party] Ask client for MX record details from current email provide
  • [3rd party] Change MX records in hosting Control Panel
  • [GA] Change MX records in Control Panel
  • [GA] Have client send Google Apps admin login details (may require signup)
  • [GA] Find out addresses/password required from client
  • [GA] Add all addresses to [GA] account
  • [GA] Add usernames & passwords to LastPass
  • [GA] Email webmail URL to client

Review site for development (functionality, SEO, etc.) and design issues particularly noting different browsers and devices.

Related milestone: Development Complete

  • Review homepage for content/text/image issues on mobile and desktop
  • Review other page for content/text/image issues on mobile and desktop
  • Review site for SEO issues
  • Get client detailed feedback
  • Complete all items
  • Ask for client sign off

Invoicing, maintenance setup, site launch, post-launch clean-up.

Related milestone: Project Complete

  • Set up maintenance agreement or ensure client understands security issues
  • Add site to maintenance schedules if required
  • Send all login details to client via secure channel
  • Send final invoice for any outstanding amount
  • Push site live on receipt of outstanding amount
  • Monitor for 48 hours for post-launch issues
  • Request client testimonial with 3 question form
  • Add testimonial to website
  • Backup and remove development site
  • Close project
  • Design
  • Content writing
  • On-page SEO
  • Domain name & hosting
  • Logo design, if necessary
  • Search engine submission
  • Number of site pages
  • Site functionality (type of website)
  • Level of automation
  • Local search engine listing

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