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Web Site Design

To the customer that is about to start a web site design.

Why do you want a web site? Are you selling something? Do you have a catalog of products that changes on a regular basis? Who is your target market? Do you already have a brand? What is your industry? Who are your competitors? Do they already have web sites? If so, what do they look like? If you're selling something, will you accept credit cards over the internet? How soon do you want your web site? What happens if you never create a web site for your business?

  1. Plan - Assemble a web site development plan that is integrated with your overall marketing processes; the content should be consistent with offline materials, the graphics/images don't have to be identical with traditional media, but should be consistent with your overall branding, style guide, usage of colors etc.
  2. Usability - Most of the time refers to software.  In this case we want to cater to the users.  Who is your client/customer? What information are you trying to convey?  What are the demographics of the end users or customers coming to your site?  The personality, age, business oriented, or entertainment oriented site? 
    1. The "digital speed" into your overall site design, your client/customers should be able to get to their desired area of your site within one or two mouse clicks; they will quickly get frustrated if they have to click-through multiple menus to find information they are seeking.
    2. shortening the time to accomplish tasks
    3. reducing the number of mistakes made
    4. reducing learning time, and improving people's satisfaction with a system
  3. Site Map - Gathering content, images and key elements of your site.  Take these elements and arrange them in a hierarchy of importance.  Where do you want the end user to go first?  What should the menus look like?  Once you have completed the Site Map, is it the best solution for the usability of your site and its end users.  (see above Usability and Accessibility).
  4. Load Time - Pay attention to "load times," how long it takes a web site to load on a 56 KBPS modem (this is an industry average), if its more than 12-18 seconds you may lose potential customers.  Cable modems are becoming more popular as prices come down, but you still want to consider catering to all users if that is your goal!
  5. Simple - Make your site easy to move around in, build a menu structure that is consistent with industry standards, local menus (for a page or section) on the left and global menus (overall site navigation) at the top and or bottom of each page, keep as much information "above the fold" (above the cutoff point at the bottom of a monitor), don't make people use horizontal scroll bars unless absolutely necessary.
  6. Content/Marketing - Develop content that is web-enabled, people don't read web site content like they do offline media, keep your paragraphs short no more than two to three sentences, build in white space with your content, include links in your pages - don't try to tell your whole marketing story on your site - get people to call, e-mail or fill out a profile form.
  7. Tracking Users -We can provide you with tracking, it is part of our hosting package. If you are looking for something that is more powerful, there are multiple options.

:: The Graphic Design Advantage

We gather knowledge about your business and package it into an aesthetically pleasing informative solution.  Graphic design enhances the site visually to the end user.  The user would rather spend time navigating a site that is usable and easy to visually take in.  It is not always necessary to use images which do take up space on a web page and allow for a longer upload of a certain page, but when the images are properly optimized for the web environment this should not be an issue.

Design Compositions
[Timing] can vary, depending on whether the site is static, dynamic, created in FLASH, contains JavaScript etc. Design compositions are quoted on after we understand the purpose of the site you want to build.

We will provide 2-3 web design comps that we layout to suggest the different ways that we recommend would be the best solution design for your particular site usage. Once the customer agrees on a comp we will make any necessary changes to gel a professional design.

:: The Usability Advantage

The idea is simple.  Employ procedures and products tailored to human needs and business goals; then reap the benefits of greater customer loyalty, enhanced productivity, and increased earnings, adding up to a substantial return on your investment. At Eyeball Digital Imaging LLC, we help our clients do just that. Our focus on usability delivers products people can use.  And this focus on human needs translates to business success.

:: STARTING THE CREATION OF YOUR SITE

  1. Strategy and User Needs Analysis
    We identify requirements, formulate the design problem, and develop a viable strategy to meet business needs in a cost-sensitive manner. Beginning with a client's existing brand strategy, organizational information, and desired business outcomes, we work to determine the target audience and platforms of a project and to create a clear profile of users, their tasks, and the usability goals of the end-product. Common evaluation methods at this stage include competitive analysis, exploratory research, functional and observational analysis, focus groups, user interviews, and surveys.
  2. Conceptual Design
    We lay out the conceptual design, or initial framework, of a website. We work to determine functionality, carefully evaluating product effectiveness and viability before committing to any specific layout or implementation. Key considerations include the way users will interact with a particular website or application, the step-by-step processes they will perform, and the relationship between individual pages. This stage incorporates user testing and expert review processes to ensure that our work will achieve desired results in real-world situations.
  3. Mockups and Prototyping
    We create visual representations, or mockups, and interactive scenarios, or prototypes, in order to develop and refine the final product design. Through a rapid production and review process, we save time and money by understanding the impact of our work early on, avoiding expensive changes at a later stage. Common evaluation methods include focus groups and user testing, as well as evaluative walkthroughs and testing against standards and guidelines. Through careful work at this stage, we ensure that a design is ready for production.
  4. Production
    We create the finished product—from final text and graphic content to software development and implementation. Guided by comprehensive processes of quality assurance and usability evaluation, we develop a product that delights users and meets or exceeds our established benchmarks.
  5. Deployment and Ongoing Support
    We make our product available to the public. In a final pre-launch quality testing phase, we ensure that every element of a product is ready for use. Immediately following deployment, a final correctness assessment verifies accuracy. We then move into our maintenance and stewardship roles, providing support to our clients and their customers. For more details on how to get started on your web site read the Eyeball Web Site Process.

We would be happy to discuss any business solutions in greater detail. If you do not see what you are looking for please contact Eyeball by email or 248-835-4045.

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:: Domain Name

We can register your domain name for you. Our recommendation is to use a name that is easy to remember and spell.

:: Site Hosting

We will host your web site for you for $10 a month. This includes:

:: Site Maintenance

Once your site is built, we will maintain your site for you.

:: E-mail Marketing

We can set up your site for e-mail marketing campaigns. Whether it is a B-day club or special event, let your customers sign up for your monthly newsletters to reap the benefits of being a preferred patron. Send them coupons or just let them know what band has the next gig. There are many options to consider.

:: Animation / Interactive

We can create fully interactive web sites in FLASH.

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