The in.house.media design process
Over the years in.house.media have worked with a large number clients and created many web sites. Throughout this time we have continually refined and developed our design process to what we have today, which we believe is the smoothest and most productive method to create web sites that will exactly meet your requirements whilst also delivering results.
Our procedure today is a partnership between client and in.house.media where time, planning and consideration of the aims and goals of the web site is taken at the start of the project of the overall goals, to ensure they are met.
Below is a summary of this procedure
1. In depth discussion between client and designer
This is the most important stage and we believe that considerable time should be spent in these initial stages which will actually save time further down the line. We usually run through a list of questions to full understand the business, the purpose of the web site and what it should achieve.
2. It is essential to us that our clients like the design of the site, but in addition it must appeal to the target audience.
You as the client need to personally like the website as it’s this will reflect your business and it is you who has to work with the site day in day out.
However, the web site could be the first impression that your target audience get of your business. If they are not impressed when they land on your home page, they may just decide to look elsewhere.
So as part of the initial design process we carryout research into competitor web sites, web sites that are also likely to be visited by the target audience as well as asking clients which web sites appeal to them.
3. Clients identify the problem and we identify the solution.
The idea here is that we both play to our strengths. You the client know your business objectives and target audience better than anyone and we know web design, typography, colour theory, imagery, layout, navigation and positioning and have the expertise that will deliver the best results. .
So if for example, a client may believe that the site is not vibrant enough and ask us to make the background orange. This may not be appropriate if orange does not fit in with the overall branding and colour scheme and the end result could be counterproductive.
Therefore, if we are told the problem (the site is not vibrant enough) we can modify the design accordingly to achieve the desired result.
This is where communication comes in once again and where we can ensure that we all work in unison to produce the best possible site design.
4. Client educates designer / Designer educates client
Often a client will need to present the design to a committee or a group of colleagues and will be asked to justify decisions made in the design. If the person presenting the design does not know the reasoning behind these decisions, it is impossible.
This is why we explain the reasoning behind the decisions that have been made in the design process. Everything is done for good reason in order to make your website convert results as well as looking beautiful in a web full of bad design.
Conclusion
This is just an overview of our process which over the years we have refined to become what it is today. Of course nothing is set in stone. Every project is different and other factors become part of the development. But the main principles remain the same. Mutual understanding, planning and communication.
Feel free to drop me an email with your thoughts at chris@ihm.co.uk.
Tags: Clients, The Design Process
