10 Simple Steps to the Web Design Process
Like any other technical aspect, the web design process has its own ins and outs, specifics, and nuances. There are certain fundamentals that you need to get around in order to achieve the smoothest, most efficient product design lifecycle.
To better understand the web design process, let’s break it down into a few easy-to-follow steps.
Define the Destination
Every website has something to offer, be it information, services, or products. The design itself is but a narrative tool. It prompts the guests of the site to some decision - to click more, to buy something, to leave a comment, to come back, etc. You need to know the purpose of your project. You can start with something simple and concise: “my goal is to advertise my video making skills.” Then, you can add extra points or elaborate with all your needs. If your objective is clear enough, you will minimize the unnecessary work.
The overall product design is based heavily on the type of one’s target audience of users. Different age groups and people working in different industries, holding certain positions have unique product perspectives and demands. For the most obvious instance, a children’s products website and a corporate site should be designed accordingly.
Measure the Resources
You should know the scope of your budget and capabilities to establish some limits. Do you have a content writer, designer, programmer, or web developer? Will you be using the help of a UI design company? How much does their cooperation cost? Correctly estimating your resources will protect you from unpleasant surprises in the long run.
Learn More
You might want to research the factors of other websites’ success. What makes the UI/UX design services provided by that company so great? How to make the information stand out? What colors should you use? What do the customers usually hate about the design or functionality? There is a whole science behind selling websites. Getting yourself acquainted with the current trends is a sure way to improve your game.
Chart the Course
The next phase is the setting of the course. In order to efficiently achieve the final objective(s), you need to define some midpoints and milestones. The development and design planning is the backbone of the whole project. To plan everything out most properly, it’s best to hire a specialized business analyst and make it their responsibility.
This stage is all about the approximate understanding of the upcoming website design and optimization. Planning the course of action simplifies your life as it narrows down the intangible purpose to something doable.
You also have to establish the timeline for your project. Deadlines for your milestones and the launch date will help you to organize the process. Besides, it will set time boundaries, instigating you to work efficiently.
Outline the Framework
Next, you should compose a blueprint for your web design process: the sitemap and the wireframe. The sitemap depicts the interrelation of all pages. It gives your designer the pattern to follow, showcasing the architecture of the website.
The blueprint is the first crude visual representation of the site’s content. It represents the future design and positioning of the elements (texts, pictures) on each page.
There is no need to explain the importance of the website layout - it is the blueprint of your final visualization.
Fill in the Content
Words are the bricks of your construction. They are your tool for conveying the information. If you want to influence your customers’ decision-making, you need to take this stage seriously. It is not as easy as one might think: the content should reflect the essence of your website with the appropriate style, pacing, and vocabulary.
Too long, too complicated, too dull - and your guests will leave. A proper combination of catchy words with the right pictures (which can, sometimes, be achieved only via professional UI/UX design services) will put you on the top of the content chain.
And there is also the factor of SEO (search engine optimization). If you want more people to visit your website, you should consider the logic of internet searching. Despite all the differences between individuals, we all tend to look for answers in the same way. There are phrases and word combinations that are used more often than others. Using SEO-approved words is like building beacons for prospective customers. They will find your place with fewer detours.
Style It Up
Various colors, pictures, logos, stylized titles, and other additional elements on the page might be the aces up your sleeve, but only if you apply them correctly. Visually powerful images can be a versatile tool. It harbors attention, conveys emotions and information, influences mindsets, and alleviates or enhances the textual message.
But you need to pay attention to all kinds of things. Does the visual part fit the page? Do colors complement the fonts? Is it consistent from one page to another, or too much to comprehend? These are the main questions that a truly professional UI design company should help you figure out.
Cumbersome visualization of the page and the lack of aesthetics can be detrimental to your website. It is safer to keep it simple than making it a panoply of colors. Besides, having a lot of visual data can prolong the loading time, and it’s better not to challenge your customers’ patience.
Run a Test
Once the website is all written and filled with the necessary information, you are almost at the finish line. But being visually and SEO-friendly might not be enough if there are bugs and issues with functionality. Check whether all links open properly. Read through texts to find any grammar or spelling mistakes. Does your website work nicely on all devices? What about browsers? It is vital to be meticulous with testing because nothing discredits your authority as much as silly bugs.
Launching
Has the testing been done enough times already? Everything works as it should, the website design and optimization are neat, and today is the launching day - congratulations! The world shall see your creation now. But...
Update
...you should be ready for surprises. Some issues might have slipped unnoticed into your project, the influx of visitors is not as good as you would like, or your expectations are not satisfied in some other way. You cannot make the perfect website that will never change.
Even without any internal issues, it will require attention and upgrades. The world is not standing still, and the trends are changing. The website should evolve in tune with its environment like a living organism to be successful. Any dynamic web design company strives to keep up with the trends. You should, too. Learn, improve, and keep up.
Conclusion
The web design process is not something that you can master from reading one post. To be top-notch and provide the best UI design services, a UI design company should keep track of hundreds of little things. It can be overwhelming, but you do not master a craft in one day. Take your time, do your homework, and be better each day.
And if you are looking for a faster way to get your website done… We provide excellent UI/UX design services, giving your ideas the attention they deserve. Send us a request, and we’ll get you the best.
