Six-phase cycle of the Web Development Process Model
The Website Development Process is a six-phase cycle that requires a design team to complete design documents, called deliverables, before proceeding to the next phase. Activities for completing the deliverables are assigned to specific members of the design team at each phase in the process.
The development cycle begins with Discovery and concludes with the Post-Delivery phase. However, as you will see, the cycle does not really end, but loops back to the Discovery phase, accounting for one of the few absolutes regarding Web design: The site is never final. The following MouseOver illustrates the phases and the major deliverables of each phase.
Pay close attention to which documents are delivered at each phase, and think about how they fit into the process at that point.
Web site development is continuous and iterative. Once a site is launched, it continues to grow and evolve.
Each time a component is added to a site, the Web development team is likely to follow an abridged version of the original development process,
adding to the original deliverables information about new features. In the process cycle, Post-Delivery loops back to Discovery.
What are the documents?
Throughout the Web Site Development Process, the Web team will work with the various components of the Web Interaction Model.
For example, during the Design phase, the team will initially describe the signs and metaphors in a document often referred to as the Creative Brief. The information architecture is detailed in the Navigational Brief and strategies regarding software, hardware, and the network are described in the Requirements Definition and the Design and Architecture Specification. The following SlideShow provides a high level model for how the process works:
Discovery comes first, when initial contact between parties is established, and general requirements are assessed.
During the definition phase the client team and design team develop a contract based on client needs and Web team capabilities.
When the needs are defined, the team outlines their ideas in the Design phase.
With approval of the design, the team can proceed to carry out the plan in the Development phase.
The team delivers the finished product to the client in the Delivery phase.
Post delivery completes the procedure with documentation and plans for ongoing maintenance, including site metrics.