Web design and build

We have designed and built sites that act as brochures as well as very high-level interactive sites such as the one we built for AIDS Portal. Navig8 has designed websites for the local electrician as well as being preferred suppliers for the Greater London Authority (GLA, encompassing the Mayors Office, the London Development Agency and Transport for London) and the BBC. What that means is, we are used to working within corporate guidelines, strict content management systems and specified languages to keep everyone happy.

Function of your website

Even in these enlightened days of internet use, the question still needs to be asked; 'what do you want a website for and what do you want it to do'? The answers are not exactly as easy as they may appear to be.

There are lots of choices of functionality, budget constraints and, even more ways of skinning a cat. So, one of the main jobs in getting a web design and build project perfect, is asking questions. Get the answers right and your website will be right.

Questions we sometimes ask:

How is it going to be used, how will it be navigated?
Who is going to use it? What countries will they be in?
How will you promote the site, where will your users find it?
How will the content be displayed? Will it be web 'friendly'?
What is important to your users; deep content or sexy eye candy?
How will it be updated and how often?
How soon do you want it?

Technical Development

We look after the back end as well as the front end and the loose ends. Although the back end sounds like a rugby position, it is in fact as important as any aspect of a website's build and functionality. It is the bit that does the work, gathers up the data and organizes it, displaying the relevant information.

Only techie people like to get techie, Navig8 bridges the gap between client, creativity and technology. For those people who do like to use technical terms like, pixel, ftp and ping, here's a brief outline of our programming skills, such as HTML, XHTML, XML, XSL, CSS, ASP (Active Server Pages) ASP.NET (and other Microsoft .Net technology), JavaScript, Oracle, VB and PHP.

Process

The design and build of a website is not necessarily a set process. But we have done oodles of them and generally, things tend go like this:

> = Client activity or input
• = Navig8

> Final content and images in digital form.
> Site architecture, technical specifications (server, scripts, etc) and considerations.
> Search engine optimisation requirements and supply of key words.
> Written design brief.
> Particular build requirements/ guidelines.
> Meta data, page titles and descriptions
• Content review and recommendations
• Structure and architecture review and recommendations
• Design of graphic interface. Presented online as a static visual (jpeg), usually a home page and one sample sub-page
> Comments from client
• Revised static visual
> Written approval of graphic interface and architecture
• Build of two HTML/CSS (Flash etc) pages. Upload to our server. Light platform testing and W3C accreditation
> Comments from client regarding links and rollover states and other 'functioning' elements
• Revised pages
> Go ahead with final build from client
• Flowing in content, build of all pages
Extensive platform testing
W3C validation
Upload to our server
> Comments and minor revisions from client
• Final version uploaded to our server for approval, or to clients server in a sub-directory for script/database etc testing
> Written approval from client
• Upload to client server – site is live
• Soft launch
• Review
• Launch

Examples of website ranging in size and scope include:

	Ed Byrne website Promotional website for comedian Ed Byrnes to support his 100 date tour and provide his devoted fans with a forum. »more
	Paul Zerdin website Promotional website for Paul Zerdin, the infamous ventriloquist . »more
	Greater London Authority – London Wild Web website design and build A comprehensive, interactive guide to London's biodiversity produced for the GLA. »more
	AIDS Portal website A high-functioning global portal. »more
	British Council microsite A micro-site was born out of the success of the printed version of their annual report. »more