How does one go about creating a web site?
The process of creating a web site can be quite complex and require the involvement of many aspects of your company. It is our goal to utilize your existing marketing ideas and project a consistent image of your company on the web. A website is a valuable component of your marketing, but to be successful, it must be viewed as a component that works in conjunction with other parts. The following is the process as it has evolved over the last few years that we have found works best.

Initial Meeting
KDS provides a complimentary initial meeting to discuss the needs of your company and what services we provide. Often during this time, we will learn a great deal about what you hope to accomplish. We will produce an estimate or other materials so that you are convinced we are the best company to complete your project.

Estimate
The initial estimate will tell you how much the project will cost if we do exactly the work described. Because our initial time together may be limited, what items you wish to be included on the site may differ from the initial estimate. Please contact us if you have any questions.

You choose a design company
Of course we hope you choose us!

Site Architecture Meeting / Project Planning Meeting
After we have convinced you we are the best company to do your project, we will meet to discuss exactly what content should be included on the site. We will also discus a little about how the site will work, how the information will be stored and presented, and any special features to be included with the site. Discussing how the site will look will follow in a later meeting. At this time you should begin gathering pictures and graphics that you might want us to use on the site.

Finalized Estimate and Timeline
After we know exactly what content will be on the site and how the information will be presented, we will create both a finalized estimate that precisely describes what work is to be accomplished and a timeline that will show you what is to be accomplished and when. At this time we also create a site map using a flowchart type design and a special website that you can use at any time to keep up to date on various aspects of the project.

Design Meeting(s)
We will meet with you to gather information and discuss exactly how your site should look. This process is fairly interactive with us producing typically a couple rounds of proofs for you to consider. At this time you should be working on developing the copy that will be found on the site.

Proofing and Project Monitoring
To monitor the progress of the web site creation, we use a project website to help facilitate communication. The website will have it's own address, probably at: http://yoursite.kreck.com and you will have a username and password to enter the site. The estimate, timelines, site maps, and other files can be uploaded and downloaded from this site. In addition, if you have any questions, it is often best to post them on this site rather than telephone or email someone directly. Often several people in each organization are involved at least occasionally in the creation of the site and these discussion boards allow everyone to keep up to speed. Links to proofs will also be posted to this site as well as general announcements. This type of organization is vital for large projects, but can often be quite useful for smaller projects as well. The site has a feature where you will be emailed every time a change is made to the project site.

Layout Approval
You will approve the layout of the site, the colors, the graphics and pictures used to create the look of the site. After this approval, we will build the web pages using HTML. It is quite time consuming and not included in our estimates to change the layout after this approval.

Functionality Approval
After you approve the basic look of the site, we will ask you proof and approve the basic navigation of the site. At this time the designer will present the major navigational components of the site and have you navigate through the site. The only piece missing at this point is the content!

Content Approval
During this section we insert content that you give us. Content is often described as the text and pictures that change when moving from page to page. To save time and ease confusion, we will ask you tell us where the information belongs when you give it to us.

Programming Requirements Documents
Programming components to your site are often completed on their own timeline. The first step is to describe exactly what work will be performed and how the programming will work. We will ask that you sign off on this document as well.

Programming sign-off
Often combined with the Content or Final Approval, we may ask that you approve the programming work we do for your site. It is important that you spend some time working with any backs-end interfaces to make sure they are easy to use.

Final Approval
This is where you look through the site and make sure the links are correct, there are no spelling corrections needed, etc. After this, the site is finished!