1. Project Scope and Definition
When starting a new project it's important to take time to establish the goals, audiences, and messages involved. Bringing focus to only the most important goals will help make the final product more effective. Developing a thorough outline is a critical step in insuring the project is meeting its goals and expectations.
2. Wireframes and Visual Design
Sitemaps are a great way to get an understanding of a websites architecture and make sure all pages are accounted for. This also makes it easier to define the site's navigational structure. Next, wireframes will begin to show the layout of content on each page. This is also a good time to start thinking about the overall visual style of the website.
3. Development and Testing
Time to start adding substance to the designs. Develop new content, refine old content, gather images and videos for the website. At this stage the HTML, CSS, and all other necessary resources are put into place. But before the site is launched it's put through a testing phase to make sure all the issues are addressed before it goes live.
4. Launch and Maintain
Lets launch a website. After the site is reviewed and approved it gets introduced to the world wide web. Some immediate small changes are common as user feedback comes in. Even after all the initial time and effort invested it's important to update content regularly and keep up with general website maintenance.