👀 Overview
When a client wants to start fresh with a new website, we do a New Build. We only do a New Build after a successful Diagnostic.
When the project is done, the client should receive:
- An effective new site that is strategically aligned with their business
- Time saved for their internal team
- Mitigation from risks that their old site presented
🏅 Principles
- Quality Comes First. We are rarely the cheapest or fastest, but we should always provide a top quality site that expresses Digital Hospitality.
- Give a Little Extra. In New Builds we frequently provide deliverables that weren’t in the original scope, such as trainings or additional graphical materials. This helps build goodwill with the client.
- Use Proven Tech. We are efficient because we have built expertise in specific best-practices site architectures and lean into them.
đź“ŹÂ Rules
✅ Do…
- Create complete Site Documentation written as the project unfolds, not after the fact
- Follow the Project Plan unless unforeseen events occur
- Create the project in Asana and Harvest
- Create tasks as far in advance as possible, within a clear and cohesive schedule that aligns with deadlines
- Keep the client informed of budget and timeline every week
- Adhere to our Design and ‣ standards and best practices.
- QA all deliverables for Accessibility, even design work
- Always set up Ghost Inspector during the QA process
🚫 Don’t…
- Go over budget. Pause work and re-negotiate scope instead.
- Work without a Project Plan and legal SOW
🗝️ Details
All new builds have a Project Plan and it’s crucial that everyone on the project read and absorb it.
Typical Timeline
- UX Design: We define the project's structure and content, excluding visual aesthetics. Deliverables can include wireframes, a content model, or a “wireflow”. Check for accessibility and quality throughout.
- Visual Design: We create final mockups of the site with full color and imagery on top of the approved UX design. For large projects we may use mood boards before moving on to actual page designs. Check for accessibility throughout.
- Development: We build the site using modern code. We update documentation throughout and test extensively for usability and Accessibility.
- QA: The QA engineer does a final pass on the site to ensure that it meets our usability, Accessibility, and technical standards. We set up Ghost Inspector.