This initial phase focuses on research and planning. We identify user characteristics and stories, determine features and functionality, establish the site footprint and navigation, and explore brand identity.
Turning our lens onto user experience and information architecture, we begin mapping user stories to work flows and visualizing page and content types. At the end of this phase, we hand off a detailed sitemap and wireframes.
Beginning with exploration and conceptualization, we review and refine design concepts, delivering finalized designs for each page template outlined in the scope of work.
We begin with our traditional process, targeting a typical desktop browser width in the design phase, but implementing a responsive design and code methodology. We move into a sprint-based development schedule as we focus on optimizing for device-specific experiences.
At this stage, we refine the existing design and code. We optimize it for a tablet experience, covering both landscape and portrait views, and finish off with device-specific testing.
As necessary, the team spends time identifying and refining natural breakpoints that may occur in between tablet and web browser screen widths, testing at those affected widths.
Target-First Approach: Strategy and Definition for Mobile Experience
We determine the best platform for a mobile experience by exploring mobile user behaviors and interaction types. Focusing on either the design and development of a separate native mobile application or the optimization of a web-based experience, we select the best technologies to develop that platform.
Based on work in the previous phase, we refine and optimize the existing web experience for mobile or proceed with design and code for a separate mobile URL. Testing is performed on all specified devices.
We remove maximum width constraints from the desktop browser experience and optimize the layout for large-screen viewing. We test the code at all affected browser widths.
Mobile-First Approach: Mobile Web Strategy and Definition
We conduct research and planning for this phase using all the components of a traditional strategy and definition phase. We consider user behaviors for all target devices and examine mobile user behaviors and interaction types. This phase concludes by answering question "is this a mobile web application or a native app?"
We design page templates in batches according to a sprint-based schedule, completing front-end code (HTML5/CSS3) and device-specific testing or handing off assets to the identified development team on a rolling basis as design iteration continues.
Mobile-First Approach: Tablet Experience Strategy and Definition
During this phase, we consider tablet-specific user behaviors and interaction types while establishing a plan for the upcoming design and development phase.
Mobile-First Approach: Design and Develop for Tablet
We design page templates for the tablet experience in batches according to a sprint-based schedule, completing front-end code (HTML5/CSS3) and device-specific testing or handing off assets to the development team on a rolling basis as design iteration continues.
Mobile-First Approach: Desktop Web Browser Experience
During this phase, we consider desktop-specific user behaviors and interaction, layering this understanding into the existing user experience and design strategy.
Mobile-First Approach: Design and Develop for Desktop
We design page templates for the desktop experience in batches according to a sprint-based schedule, completing front-end code (HTML5/CSS3) and testing at specific browser widths or handing off assets to the development team for all remaining iterations.
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