Development process for creating a website

Novicell's approach to determining the scope of a digital project

When we create digital solutions for our clients, we follow a well-organized standard process, which goes from research, planning and outreach, to the design, development and launch of a website.

In this article we will explain all the process of scoping a digital project describing each phase and including examples of one of our recent website development projects with the investment management firm and our client, 7IM.

5 stages of creating a website:

• The first meeting between the agency and the client
• Workshop for defining objectives
• From workshop to development
• Web ready for content
• Web ready for launch (deployment)

Stage 1: The first meeting with the agency and the client

At this point we discuss the first meeting, which is when as an agency we meet with you as a potential new client to talk initially about the project, better understand your needs and offer a first rough estimate.

In the following video, we provide you with more information about the first meeting with the agency:

Know the customer and their needs

In the event that as a client you need a new website and you have contacted an agency specialized in Digital Marketing. You'll want to know the people who will be designing your new website, and the agency will need to have information about your company to get an idea of how those designs should start. That is the purpose of the initial meeting.

If the web agency you have contacted is Novicell, before the meeting we will ask your permission to access Google Analytics to know your website traffic and obtain all possible information, such as the current performance of your site. Some companies prefer to send us a summary outlining their needs. But it will always depend on what phase you are in when you contact us.

During the first meeting, we will ask you some questions to identify the challenges, desires, and essential aspects that your site should have and those that you would like it to have. In this regard, the most common questions are:

• What is the most important thing a user should be able to do on your website?
• What is the most important thing your website can do for your company or organization?
• What is the main purpose of your website?
• What type of content should appear on the web?
• Are there other systems that the website should integrate with?

The first meeting is usually a meeting where we not only discuss the project, but we also get to know each other and establish a good relationship. This is important, as we like to see ourselves as a partner who can help you grow your business rather than someone who can simply build a great website.

First meeting with 7IM: demonstration and approximate budget

7IM, is an investment management firm that helps financial advisors and individuals manage their capital to meet their financial needs. This organization had recently been working with a new approach to customer experience at the corporate level. Because of this refocus, they were looking for a new website that could publicize their new products and services, aligning them with a renewed look that would be consistent across all offers and distribution channels.

7IM used Sitecore as a CMS, but they wanted to find another alternative for their website. However, based on their requirements and the information we collected, we were able to give them a demo of Umbraco (CMS solution) at a later meeting.

“We have come a long way since the first meetings, and seeing a realistic demonstration already at this stage was very enriching and convincing. We decided to change platforms and, thanks to Novicell's exhaustive and transparent process of defining the scope, we were able to see very clearly the direction we were taking from the start.”

Zoe Baird, Head of Digital, 7IM

Presentation of the rough estimate

An important result of the first meeting (s) is the collection of sufficient information to be able to present a rough estimate. This estimate is a rough idea of what it would cost to build the new website and is based on the information we have at the time. As such, the estimate is just an indication of what it could cost.

Although we spent the first meeting talking, asking questions and, on some occasions, demonstrating the possible new website, there is still a lot of information that we don't have at this stage. We are only at the beginning of getting to know the client and what the project requires. The more details, the more accurate the budget will be. Therefore, the first meeting will also include a proposal for the scope of the workshop.

Next step with 7IM: scoping workshop

The workshop is essential in our website development process. The objective is to define the scope of the project and capture the requirements. This will ensure that what you see is also what you will get. This comprehensive approach allows us to analyze the project in great detail and identify the most important risks and the necessary mitigation measures that will help us to carry out a successful project.

After the first meeting with 7IM, we presented a rough estimate that was approved, and we agreed to hold a workshop. In the next stage, we will talk about the scope of application of the workshop for the definition of objectives: what it is, the results and why it is a crucial part of a development project with Novicell.

The definition workshop we conducted with 7IM was online. You can read more about this experience and learn about some tips for adapting to Online Workshops here.

Stage 2: Workshop to define objectives

The next step in the web development process is very important: Workshop for the definition of objectives. This is usually the second or third meeting between you as a client and our team of experts.

The video explains what a scoping workshop consists of and why it is an important part of the web development process.

The purpose of the scoping workshop

The goal is to ensure that the project team is on the same page and understands the context of the project and the work that needs to be done. We do many scoping workshops with our clients to get to know them, understand their business, needs and objectives. The main focus of this activity is to define the scope of the project and capture the requirements.

The scoping workshop is part of the web development process, but it is also an independent exercise that will provide you with a complete report for your project. We recommend scoping sessions to all our clients, as they allow us to better understand, challenge and design their business idea.

Before the Workshop

Before the workshop, we ask our clients to bring together the most relevant people who should participate in the project. It's important that equipment is available throughout the project. The ideal would be to have the following people in the session:

• A decision maker
• A Project Owner
• A Brand Manager
• A Tech Lead
• A Project Manager

After the initial meeting with our client 7IM, we met for a scoping workshop. Before that online instance, which we carried out online, we asked 7IM to send us information about their business: competition analysis, description of the target audience, etc. In this way, we had a lot of information beforehand and could go directly to the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead.

During the Workshop

In the workshop we review all aspects of project planning, from estimating time and costs, to defining the scope. This comprehensive approach allows us to define the scope of the project in great detail and identify the most important risks, as well as the necessary mitigation measures that will help us to carry out a successful project.

The objective of this workshop is to identify everything we need to know in order to give a realistic estimate of the project.

If at that time of the project we don't have the information, we'll ask you some questions in the workshop, such as:

• KPIs and PIs
• Must-haves and nice-to-haves
• Information relating to users, audiences and individuals.
• Features

After the workshop — The delivery report

In the days following the workshop, we provide you with the report. This report, which is a very exhaustive document, covers the aspects discussed during the workshop: deep understanding of your project, identified weaknesses, and our recommended solution for what we can do to make your project successful.

The report we deliver also includes a budget. At this point, the budget will be quite accurate, since the workshop will have allowed us to fully understand your needs and the scope of the project. The report also includes a schedule for the start of the different actions.

“The Workshop was very important for the project to go ahead. In the workshop we identified all our needs and desires and generated many ideas that have contributed to the excellent solution we ended up with. In addition, the workshop and the meeting with the Novicell team were very useful to build trust and a good relationship from the start.”

Zoe Baird, Head of Digital, 7IM

Technical Data Workshop

In some cases, the report we deliver will also include a proposal for an additional workshop to deal with technical data. This is often the case if your solution requires, for example, integrations with a CRM, ERP, or perhaps an existing product. This technical meeting will help us to better understand your data and how to integrate the different solutions.

Next step — From workshop to development

After the workshops, we moved on to the development phase. This begins with a final estimate of the development and approval of the customer. In the next stage “Step 3: From Workshop to Development”, we describe the first steps of real development, including user stories.

Stage 3: From Workshop to Development

Once we've delivered the report to you, it's time for you to decide if you want to go ahead with the project. As with everything else, we want to be thorough but effective, and once we have the go-ahead, we're ready to go.

The video explains the process from the Workshop to the start of the development work.

Timelines, solution description and budget

The next step after signing the contract is for us to make a detailed schedule and a summary of hours. This is based on the conclusions and recommendations of the delivery document and on the estimates of our different teams of specialists (for example, Development, Digital Performance, Design, etc.) for the project and the tasks.

We also prepared a detailed plan based on sprints, focusing on demos. The objective of this plan is to provide a clear view of the dates on which the specific demos will take place, so that the customer knows exactly what needs to be tested and when.

In this phase of determining the scope of the digital project, the description of the solution is also made. This is a very exhaustive document that describes all the characteristics contained in the digital project. Here we collect all the points that we have discussed and commented on as needs and desires during the workshop and we convert them into development tasks.

The solution description contains titles for each feature, along with a user story that describes the features, the purposes and specifies how it is achieved.

In addition to evaluating and aligning project development, with regard to tasks and deadlines, we also closely monitor the budget. Every week we send the client a report on the budget, which indicates the hours we are investing and highlights if there are any risks or signs of overdoing it.

Close collaboration between client and agency

The solution description is created in collaboration with a team of stakeholders selected by the customer. In the process with 7IM, this team consisted of a Project lead, a content editor, a designer and a QA tester. All four were advised to read and approve the description of the solution to ensure that it met all their needs. They also attended the demos to make sure we were on the right track.

“During the pre-launch phase of the website, we were in constant contact with Novicell through weekly calls with our Project Manager, which has been a great help. Reviewing the tasks, the budget used and the remaining budget has helped us to control costs and keep the website within budget. Using Umbraco is easy, but it has been made even easier with the recorded demos of the teams that our Project Manager created during the delivery of the solution. Not only does it keep Novicell on track, but it also ensures that we're on the right track when we need to complete the tests.”

Kieran Cardozo-Smith, Director of Digital Products, 7IM

Transparency and no surprises

Transparency and being at the forefront of every project we do is in our DNA. During the development phase, which can last between 2 and 8 months depending on the size of the project, we have weekly meetings with the client in which we review the status of the project and the things that need to be approved. In these meetings, we also agree with the client what we are going to do in the coming weeks and when the demos will take place. All this is visible within the deadlines so that everyone involved in the project - on the part of the client and the agency - knows exactly what is happening.

Next step: the website is ready for content

When the development work is over, the website development phase has reached a point where content publishers can add them. This is the last step before the website is ready to be launched.

Stage 4: The website is ready for the content

Most of the development work has been completed, and it's time for the client's content team to start adding content to the CMS.

At the beginning of the project, we asked the client to share the high-level information architecture so that, from the beginning, we can plan and develop according to the content that should be on the site. So, when we get to this phase, there's not much to consider or do other than add the content.

SEO guidance

Before and during the incorporation of the content to the CMS, the Novicell Project Manager performs several demos to show the client's team of editors how to work on the CMS. Our SEO team will also have reviewed the content for navigation and structure, and will recommend what content the client should migrate.

For 7IM, we have tested and offered support on the following points:

• Sitemap
• Navigation
• Page migration
• Structuring the content
• Meta titles and descriptions
• Redirection mapping for new pages

SEO review is important for generating traffic and improving conversions. By reviewing the structure of the content and the content itself, we help pages to rank better so that they can gain more relevant traffic from search engines.

Get to know all the Novicell SEO services.

Adjust and improve

As content publishers add content, our development team will work with them to finalize the final details.

Although we have planned the content from the beginning of the project, and despite the demos made, sometimes there will still be elements that the customer wants to add or change. To do this, we reserve a few hours in the timeline and in the budget so that there is space for the project to be perfect.

About the CMS experience:

“We are really impressed with the Umbraco CMS. It's just as easy to navigate and use as a content editor compared to our old CMS, and because of the easy loading process, even people outside the editing team can now add content if needed. We are very happy with the design and style - the nature of how the modules are placed and look. It's much better than our old website.”

- Ben Kingwell, Website Content Associate, 7IM.

Next step: The website is ready for launch

Once the final details of the development have been completed and the contents have been added to the website, it is time to launch and evaluate it. This is the last step in the development of a digital project.

Stage 5: The website is ready for launch

We have reached the final phase of the web development process and the website is ready for launch. In the weeks leading up to the launch date, the Novicell development team has verified that all technical aspects, such as the quality of the code and the hosting infrastructure, work, and together with the Novicell Digital Performance team, they have ensured that the site is optimized for reach and conversion.

These are some of the most important aspects that we analyze before the launch:

• Safety: Are the site and hosting configured for optimal security?
• Domain: Have the DNS been configured correctly?
• Cookies: Is the site compatible with cookies?
• Redirections: Launching a new website from an old one usually involves redirecting content and ensuring that external redirects with high SEO value are redirected to the right place.
• Canonical checks: Are the URLs configured correctly?
• SSL Certificate - Has the SSL certificate been configured, allowing the correct use of the secure https protocol?
• Index: Have all index blocking functions been disabled so that search engines can index the site?
• Sitemap check: make sure that the sitemap is properly updated and has been submitted to search engines.

Support during launch

Launching a new website, whether it's a new one or an update to an old website, is a big achievement, and can be overwhelming and stressful for some customers. With our exhaustive and standardized process, the launch is quite simple and simple on the vast majority of occasions. As soon as we release it, we make sure everything works properly and, if any problems arise, we're there to support the customer.

We can take full charge of the launch or work together with the customer's IT team. Most of the time it's a joint effort between Novicell and the customer, and in that case we're available throughout the launch advising and reviewing a previous checklist.

New website for financial advisors

Together with the dedicated 7IM team, we launched their new website for financial advisors in December 2020. The entire project, from scope definition, design, development to launch, lasted eight months. The solution is based on Novicell's Umbraco Premium, and new features have been implemented, such as the Retirement Income Service Calculator.

The new platform has been well received by 7IM customers and by the company itself:

“The process of building the new website has been exceptional. It has been a huge task and project, but there have been no problems and the collaboration with Novicell has been really good at all times. We've never felt like a customer, but Novicell has been just another part of our digital team. The goal was to offer an unparalleled experience through our new and renewed website. Judging by the phenomenal feedback we've received from customers, stakeholders and more, we think we've done it.”

Kieran Cardozo-Smith, Digital Product Manager, 7IM.

After the launch: continued collaboration

Once the new website is up and running, we begin to study how it can be further developed. Among other things, we study speed and performance improvements and new features and functionality. This is done in monthly meetings with the client, where we talk about the coming months and the needs and requirements they have for the site.

We are already working on the next steps of 7IM, studying the 2021 roadmap and the features they would like to add. One of the things we'll focus on is developing more interactive tools, such as the revenue calculator, to attract potential potential customers.

Although the launch of the website is the last official step in the process, the work never ends. Websites are designed to be updated continuously, and an effective website is a dynamic site. It should always be changing and improving over time based on analytics, marketing efforts, and audience needs.

To see other digital projects we have carried out, you can visit our success stories page.

How can we help you?

If you need more information, do not hesitate to contact get in touch with us.