Development Process

An agile development process should work in a series of sprints, each with a clear scope, role expectations, and an expected product. This segmentation provides clear expectations for both client and agency and allows the agency to specify payment points at any point in the case of abnormal clients or abnormal projects.

0. Kickoff Meeting

See Appendix: Kickoff Guide for template.

In the kickoff meeting, tem members meet with the client to determine project scope, site functionality, and establish expectations for the final project.

Roles

  • Programmer: What functions will the site need to perform?
  • Information Architect: How should the content on the site be arranged?
  • User Experience Designer: Who is the expected audience, what are they expecting, and in what priority?
  • Copywriter: What content does the site need to have? What content exists already?
  • Graphic Designer: What graphic elements does the site need? Which exist already?

Product

  • Number of expected pages
  • Amount of content to be created
  • List of expected functions
  • Notes on style
  • Contract

1. Gather

In the first period of development, which starts at the end of the kickoff meeting, developers gather materials needed to build the site. These materials include: resources from the client like logo, content, and expected sitemaps; software and frameworks used for site; pages needed to be written by copywriter.

Roles

  • Programmer: Charts/diagrams expected functions.
  • Information Architect: Plans page hierarchy, develops site skeleton.
  • User Experience Designer: Creates user personas, works with IA & designer to determine additional graphics.
  • Copywriter: Organizes content, researches topics.
  • Graphic Designer: Collects graphic elements, works with UX & IA to determine additional.

Product

  • Map of pages
  • User personas
  • List of technology
  • Content order

1.5 Preview

Create wireframes and mockups

2. Develop

In the second period of development, developers put all gathered items together by creating a testing environment and assembling the site. They then send a preview link to the client.

Roles

  • Programmer: Creates site functions.
  • Information Architect: Builds site.
  • User Experience Designer: Maintains user flow.
  • Copywriter: Writes content.
  • Graphic Designer: Designs elements.

Product

  • Working site draft

3. Review

Clients should send their feedback during the third period to be implemented.

Roles

  • Programmer: Troubleshoots functions.
  • Information Architect: Finalizes architecture.
  • User Experience Designer: Tests user experience using personas.
  • Copywriter: Edits copy, writes additional copy for uncovered elements.
  • Graphic Designer: Refines elements.

Product

  • Working site as ready for launch

4. Launch

The fourth period of the project is allotted for putting the site live which includes transitioning from test to live APIs, servers, and domain names.

Roles

  • Programmer: Manages functionality transfer.
  • Information Architect: Maintains site structure.
  • User Experience Designer:
  • Copywriter:
  • Graphic Designer:

Product

  • Live site with all contracted functions

5. Buffer

For a specified period after launch date, developers will make small changes as requested.

Product

  • Use-tested site