Development Process
Through my years of experience, I have developed a process framework that has proven to be successful for my clients. The process comprises of the following 5 steps: Plan, Design, Build, Test, and Deploy. Each of these steps plays an integral role in the successful development of your interactive project.
1. Planning
The Planning stage includes all pre-production work. It focuses on project clarification, where is the intent is to pull together the general ideas of the project, as well as a solution definition, where all possible solutions are brainstormed. Following this, a project specification is developed, creating a detailed outline of exactly what the project needs to do. Every aspect should be considered and documented providing a concise guide of implementation agreed upon by both the client and development team.
2. Designing
The designing stage is based on both visual and technical architecture. Visual design is where all graphical models and user-interface considerations are explored. These designs are contrived with then entent of both visual appeal, as well as incorporating corporate branding consistancy. On the other hand, the technical design includes the definition and development of data structures and programming architecture.
3. Building
The building stage is the most obvious part of the project. Here, the visual and textual content are combined with the technical architecture and all programming and development is initiated.
4. Testing
The testing stage is the most important, and often overlooked, piece of the project lifecycle. Besides the obvious testing that occurs during the building phase, several types of testing need to occur before the project is deployed. First, the entire project is tested to meet its designed functionality and checked for any unknown errors. Second is usability testing, whereby all components are checked for their ease-of-use and intended effects.
5. Deployment
The deployment stage is the final piece of the life-cycle and includes any post-production work. Obviously the first part of deployment is to initiate the project for it's intended use. Upon this milestone, the project's success and real-world effects are evaluated and any necessary support and/or maintenance is considered.