Six Phases of Web Development

Six Phases of Web Development

Discovery: discovering the business goals and audience; determining capabilities
==> Using a client profiler to understand the client
==> Using an RFP (Request for Proposal)

Definition: defining the strategy and preparing a proposed solution for the client.
==> Business proposal
==> Creative components
==> Technical components
==> Overview of materials and resources
==> Estimated timeline
==> Estimated costs
==> Signed contract or project approval

Design: developing the solution and planning the process developing the purpose in line with the business goals and audience develop marketing plan
==> Develop creative, navigational, and editorial briefs
==> Determine technology, programming methods and requirements
==> Develop project timeline, assets list, team composition, project management
==> Information design
==> Interactive design
==> Screen design

Development: develop creative and technical components for the site
==> Develop a project site for project management and client review of development process
==> Generate or assemble all media assets
==> Build user interface
==> Build templates
==> Assemble pages and links
==> Testing and revision (staging)

Delivery:
Developing the site
==> Installing on host server and testing
==> Promoting the site
==> Documenting the site
==> Site maintenance
==> Site metrics
==> Site revisions

Post-Delivery:
This phase is needed to shift ownership to the client and initiate any hosting or support follow-up.
==> Forming a maintenance team
==> Sharing information

COURSE OVERVIEW

Interactive media design and development for internal and external community clients. Design solutions are presented, critiqued, and revised based on initial and ongoing client contact. Sites are developed, deployed, tested, and maintained on web servers. Team-based design and development process is coordinated through project management practices. Emphasis is placed on strategic and tactical design process, industry standards, usability studies, business proposals, design documents, and other professional practices.

Prerequisites: Art 341, 342

Objectives:
1. Development of design and production skills based on professional standards.
2. Development of business and project management skills required for client work.
3. Development of team-building skills.
4. Experience in development of web sites for clients.
5. Development of significant work contributing to professional portfolios.


Course Goals and outcomes:

Primary teaching goals:
• Studio: teamwork, team leadership role, team-based development of creative solutions and projects.
• Client based Project: 

1. client communication
   
2. client presentations
   
3. field work to initiate design proposal and client/project brief
   
4. production timeline for client approval
5. develop project
   
6. live site launch
   

• Instructor consultation: team consultations with instructor during project design and development process.

Secondary teaching goals:
• Site review and analysis: study and analysis of current web sites according to specified criteria
• Lectures and visiting professionals in related fields
• Discussion: team examination of web site analysis
• Market research
• Case methodology: design and implementation of usability studies
• Critique: cross-team review and critique of ongoing projects


Topical outline
1. Key elements
• Roles: business, creative, technical (the minimum team)
• Objectives: each roles has its objectives within the process
• Deliverables: business documents, artwork, prototypes
• Activities: project management, research, design, production, engineering, maintenance
• Client: the simple client, the composite client, and the surrogate client

2. Initial preparations
• Survey of current skills, interests, and achievements of individual students
• Formation of teams based on survey results
• Team selection or assignments to client projects

Students in this class will combine all skills developed to date to rapidly design, deploy functional Web sites. Students will develop and deploy two Web sites, one of which must be completed within a team, over this term and be evaluated on Effectiveness, Aesthetics, Completeness and Sophistication.

Students will work on team project in order to experience real life work environment. Also they will work on understanding the development cycle. Sites are developed, deployed, tested, and maintained on web servers. Team-based design and development process is coordinated through project management and research practices.

Emphasis in class is placed on strategic and tactical design process, industry standards, usability studies, business proposals, design documents, and other professional practices.

Attendence Policy

Attendance:

Class Attendance is essential to do well in this course. We will be covering a lot of technical and theoretical information. As a result, attendance is mandatory. Arriving late, leaving early or failing to attend class will directly effect your grade as described below. Students are allowed one excused absence during the term to allow for illness or personal circumstances. If four classes are missed, an automatically F [=failure] will be given. This does not mean you are allowed to miss three.

One absence= Allowed
Two absences= 5 pts off final grade [half a letter]
Three absences= 10 pts off final grade [one full letter]
Late Arrivals = 2.5 pts off