PRACTICALARTIFICE

Website Design Methodology

1. Input
2. Selection
3. Revision
4. Implementation

Phase 1: Input
This is the phase where I collect information from you regarding how you'd like your website to look, feel, and be. During this phase I also will require any content and/or pictures you'd like placed in your website.

Phase 2: Selection
Next, I create the concept or concepts for your package as specified by you, and attune everything to your requests and specific needs, then it will be up to you to decide whether or not you wish to purchase revisions.

Phase 3: Revision
In this phase you carefully examine the finished website that you've chosen and have me make whatever changes you wish to purchase.

Note: A revision is a change, no matter how small.

Phase 4: Implementation
This is the final phase in which your website actually goes from my company server to live on the internet, on whatever host you have made arrangements for.

• All clients must pay for their respective domain names and hosting, I assume no responsibility for the promises of other design firms.
• Photo-cropping and alignment are complementary with any package, however, photo-editing may cost more money if it is extensive.

I also provide a simple Business Card Design service, which allows you to use your logo and the theme colors of your website on your business cards.

Webmaster's Advice

1. Do Your Homework
Giving quality content is important if you want a quality website. If you don't have time to do everything yourself, it's perfectly understandable. Time = Money. That's the time to hire me to do the composition for you. I do offer content creation, spell check and translation myself, just ask for pricing. Composing text and design for the web is not really the same game as for the print, or anything else. It's a whole different media created and consumed differently in a different context.

2. Digital Content is Best
Whenever possible, bring your content in digital format. Since I have to retype everything if you bring it on paper, it's a good idea to give it in digital format first hand. The same applies to pictures, scan them yourself if possible.

3. No Unfinished Content
Always give me final versions of your content (text or pictures) if possible. Unless I am doing your writing and spell checking too, I only want to receive final version of your documents.

4. Email Me
Communicate by email and list your requests clearly. I don't dislike talking to my clients on the phone at all, but it's easier for me to break down requests into to-do lists when they are summarized in an email. It's also harder to forget an email than a request made by phone. Now if you're in doubt of being understood in your email, the telephone or in person is your best option. Don't be afraid to send screen shots too.

5. Meet Your Deadlines
If you think you can't meet a deadline, tell me right away. I too have many other things to do, Seriously, I won't hold it against you. We live in a busy world, don't be afraid to let me know.

6. Be Open Minded
As I said, the web is not print media, and it's not television. It's media in it's own genre and unless you spend more than 20 hours a week surfing the web, you more than likely don't know much about it. On top of that, we are only in the early stages of this constantly evolving media. Like television, some technologies and trends will last much longer than others. It's important to find and use what fits you best for now.

7. Give Honest Feedback
Seriously, even if it is negative, I can take it. It's important to be open minded but it's also important to be honest in your feedback. If I show you a design and you say "yeah, I like it", I might assume that you really liked it. I'd like to read your mind but there is ethical and technical issues. Just say that you don't like it, or that you don't think it represents you like you would like. Don't be afraid to give examples and directions of what you like.