Good websites are rarely the result of luck. They come from asking the right questions early, making decisions in the right order and testing properly before anything goes live. Our web development process has seven phases, each with clear deliverables, so you always know what is happening, what we need from you and what comes next.
The process at a glance#
| Phase | What happens | Key deliverables | Your input |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Discovery | We learn about your goals, audience and constraints | Discovery notes, prioritised requirements | Conversation, existing materials, access to current site |
| 2. Proposal | We define scope, price and timeline | Written proposal, project schedule | Review, questions, approval and deposit |
| 3. Design | We plan structure and design the interface | Sitemap, wireframes, visual designs | Feedback on two review rounds |
| 4. Development | We build on a private staging site | Working staging site, version-controlled code | Content, periodic feedback |
| 5. QA | We test functionality, accessibility and performance | Test checklist, fixed issues, performance report | User acceptance testing |
| 6. Launch | We deploy and configure search and analytics essentials | Live site, handover documentation, training | Final sign-off, domain and hosting access |
| 7. Care | We keep everything updated, secure and backed up | Updates, backups, monitoring, monthly summary | Optional care plan |
1. Discovery#
Everything starts with understanding. Before we suggest a single page or feature, we want to know what success looks like for you. Who are your visitors? What do they need to find or do? What is not working today? What are the constraints around budget, timeline, existing systems and internal skills?
For an existing website, we also look under the bonnet: page speed, Core Web Vitals, technical SEO, accessibility basics, hosting and the plugins or frameworks in use. That review often uncovers quick wins and hidden risks that shape the rest of the project.
Deliverables:
- Written discovery notes summarising goals, audience and constraints
- A prioritised list of requirements, split into must-haves and nice-to-haves
- Initial technical recommendations, such as platform, hosting and integrations
2. Proposal#
Based on discovery, we write a clear, plain-English proposal. It describes exactly what we will build, what is out of scope, how long it will take and what it will cost. Where possible we quote a fixed price; for larger or more uncertain projects, such as custom web applications, we explain how the estimate was built and how we will manage it.
The proposal also sets out the payment schedule and the review points, so there are no surprises later. Our terms and conditions cover the details.
Deliverables:
- Written proposal with scope, deliverables, price and assumptions
- Project schedule with milestones and review dates
- Payment schedule
3. Design#
Design is where structure and personality come together. We begin with information architecture: a sitemap and the key user journeys, so that visitors can find what they need in as few steps as possible. Then come wireframes, simple layouts that focus on content and hierarchy without the distraction of colour or imagery.
Once the structure is agreed, we create the visual design, applying your brand to a consistent system of typography, colour, spacing and components. We design with accessibility in mind from the start, including colour contrast, readable type sizes and clear focus states, and we draw on well-established UX principles rather than passing trends.
Deliverables:
- Sitemap and key user journeys
- Wireframes for the main page templates
- Visual designs for desktop and mobile, with two rounds of revisions included
- A small component library or style guide
4. Development#
With designs approved, we build. We work in small, reviewable steps on a private staging site that you can visit at any time. All code lives in version control, so every change is tracked and reversible.
We write semantic HTML, maintainable CSS and only as much JavaScript as the experience genuinely needs. On WordPress we build custom themes and blocks, choose plugins carefully and avoid unnecessary bloat. For custom applications we use modern PHP and well-supported libraries, with security considered from the first line of code rather than added at the end.
This is also when content goes in. If you are writing your own copy, we give you a simple content template early so it is ready when we need it.
Deliverables:
- A working staging site, updated as features are completed
- Version-controlled source code
- Content entered and formatted, and integrations configured
- Regular progress updates
5. Quality assurance#
Before anything goes live, we test it thoroughly. We check functionality on current versions of the major browsers and on a range of screen sizes, test forms, checkout flows and integrations end to end, and look for broken links and missing metadata.
We also test what is easy to overlook: keyboard navigation, screen-reader behaviour, colour contrast and focus order, measured against the WCAG 2.2 AA success criteria. Performance is checked against Google’s Core Web Vitals thresholds: Largest Contentful Paint within 2.5 seconds, Interaction to Next Paint within 200 milliseconds and Cumulative Layout Shift under 0.1. Our Core Web Vitals guide explains what those numbers mean.
Finally, you test it yourself. User acceptance testing gives you the chance to click through everything and confirm it works the way you expect.
Deliverables:
- Completed QA checklist covering functionality, browsers and devices
- Accessibility review and fixes
- Performance report with Core Web Vitals measurements
- Your sign-off after user acceptance testing
6. Launch#
Launch day should be calm. We plan the deployment in advance, take a full backup, set up redirects from any old URLs, and move the site to production at a quiet time. We then work through our technical SEO checklist: XML sitemap, robots rules, canonical tags, structured data, search console verification and analytics.
After launch we monitor the site closely for the first days and fix anything that comes up. You receive documentation explaining how your site is built and how to manage it, plus a recorded or live training session for your team.
Deliverables:
- Live website with redirects, SSL and search essentials configured
- Handover documentation and training
- Full ownership of code, content and accounts
- A post-launch support window for fixing defects
7. Care#
A website is never really finished. Software needs updates, security threats evolve and content changes. If you want us to look after things, our Website Care & Maintenance Plan covers core, theme and plugin updates, off-site backups, uptime and security monitoring, and a set amount of time each month for small changes.
Care is optional. Because you own everything we build, you are free to manage the site yourself or work with another developer. Many clients choose a care plan simply so that they can stop worrying about it.
Deliverables:
- Regular updates and off-site backups
- Uptime and security monitoring
- Small content and design changes each month
- A monthly summary of what was done
Start your project#
Ready to begin with discovery? Contact us with a few details about your project, or try the estimator on our pricing page for an indicative figure first. If you are still shaping your ideas, our guide to planning a website project is a good place to start.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a typical project take?
It depends on scope. A landing page usually takes two to three weeks, a WordPress website four to eight weeks, and a WooCommerce store or custom web application longer. Your proposal will include a realistic timeline for your specific project.
How involved do I need to be?
You will be most involved during discovery and design reviews, and when supplying content. During development we share progress on a staging site and ask for feedback at set points, so you do not need to be available every day.
What happens if I want to change the scope mid-project?
Changes are normal. We assess each request, explain its impact on cost and timeline in writing, and only proceed once you approve. Small adjustments within the agreed scope do not need a formal change request.