Web development is a resource-consuming process, which normally involves several specialists. In order to create a successful project, it is necessary to at least determine:

•    What is the purpose of the website
•    What is the site’s target audience
•    What information will the site deliver
•    What functionality is the site going to implement, e.g. how is it going to work
•    Who and how will support the site’s functionality, update the information, and how will they expand it

The process of web development can be divided into the following stages:

•    Marketing planning
•    Planning of the site’s structure (categories, navigation, etc.)
•    Design
•    Markup (design implementation)
•    Imposition of the markup onto the developed content managing system
•    Installation of modules responsible for the site’s extended functionality
•    Filling the system with text and graphics
•    Testing the site against the technical specifications and publishing the website on the Internet

Now, let us look at each stage in more detail:

1. Marketing Planning

At this stage the site’s base is established. What will the site do? What are its main goals? What is to be achieved by it? What is to be delivered to your visitors? These and many more other questions help determine what the site will be like.

2. Technical Planning

This stage is often disregarded, especially if the time frame is narrow. In reality, every hour spent during this stage can save two-three hours in the development stage. Here it is important to pay extra attention to how the navigation is going to work (How will the visitor get from the main page to others?). The programming functions should also be carefully considered (What happens if the user clicks this button?).

3. Design

This is one of the most complicated stages, because most of us are used to evaluate the design separately from the site itself, just as we would evaluate a song’s music separately from its lyrics.

Here we should recall the site’s main goal (Is the goal – to impress everyone with a nice picture?). Does the design reflect what your company is offering? Is it consistent with your corporate style (You’ve got one, right?). Does it clearly show how you are different from your competitors? Will the design complicate future expansion? This is only a part of the questions you will have do to ask yourself.

4. Markup

Markup – is the transition of the design that until now exists only in a form of a picture, into HTML. This stage has got its complications. A well-markup site will work equally well in all major web-browsers and in all common screen resolutions (You can’t afford loosing clients, can you?).

5. Content Managing System (CMS)

It is a serious challenge to choose an “engine” that will greatly ease the process of updating the site’s content (If you can rely on your secretary on that – then the choice is right). Also, sometimes it is necessary to change the site’s structure, such as moving a category or creating a new one. This process should not cause complications. Following open standards is very important as well – it’s not a good idea to “‘tie” yourself to someone’s closed technology.

6. Filling the Site with Content

In the case of CMS, the process becomes quite simple, though it will ofcourse take some time. One thing to be aware of here is how complete the content is. Very often this stage is the cause of considerable delays, so it pays to take care of the content beforehand.

7. Testing and Publishing

Even though testing takes place in every one of the stages, final testing is necessary. Here are some examples of what needs to be double checked:

•    Does the site work in all browsers?
•    Are all essential materials published?
•    Do all engine components work accurately and in synchronies?

Finally, when the testing is over, comes the time to publish the site. Contrary to the popular belief, the work on the site doesn’t stop after it is published. If your goal is to turn the website into a marketing tool, then get ready to:

•    Update the content
•    Promote the website
•    Create surveys to determine new functionality necessary to the visitors

It’s no joke, but trust our experience – it pays to put in all the effort!