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23 August 2010
Posted in
Project Planning & Management
Connie Guess is a partner with Surge Design here in Atlanta, Georgia and she has been working with The Dev Department for a number of years. As one of the first designers to complete the newly launched certification program, Connie called us and sounded a little concerned.
Here concern was over a document that is developed as part of the web site planning process called a “page inventory”. Essentially, this is a document that lists every single page of a site and every single element that goes on those pages.
She wanted to know if we typically reviewed that document with the client prior to doing the next step of the project. I had to laugh when she asked because I got the image in my head of poor Connie sitting in her clients office and trying to explain to them what they were seeing.
The truth is that we did not make it very clear in the certification course, which is something we will soon remedy, but this document is simply a worksheet that the designer can use to make sure they have included everything they need in the site.
However, we thought it might be good here to give a quick breakdown of what you should be sharing with the client.
Site Map
We like to share this document with the client and go over each page. This is more for our benefit than the client's. Why? Because talking through each page out-loud helps us to find needs for refinement and helps create ideas as we go.
Wireframes
This is the next document to review. Discuss every single element of every single page with the client. This is the one that really gets them thinking.
(As an aside, the step that comes between this one and the site map is the page inventory.)
Look-and-Feel Concepts
This can come before or after the wireframes. This is the site's general navigation concept, overall messaging, colors and imagery.
Content Inventory
This document contains all the site's content. If you are providing the content, then the client will need to check and approve this before the development starts. If the client is providing the content, then you will review this with them and instruct them on how to insert content.
Page Compositions ("Comps")
These are the exact mock-ups of each page and should be reviewed in the same way that you would review a proof before sending a job to print.
So, that is the list of files. It's a lot to review, but is somewhat less daunting for you....CONNIE!
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