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Client Interaction and Design Strategies

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 2:50 am
by Benjamin
I'm looking to hear from you guys on the various workflow processes you use on projects from start to finish. To be more specific, how does everything work at your workplace (or if you are a freelancer) from your first interaction with a client to delivery of a finished product?

Include such things such as the different phases of development, staged delivery, wireframes, art, design, architecture, db schema design, programming, unit testing, user testing, staged delivery, structured payments... the whole nine yards.

Also, what type of product specifications do you enjoy following the most? What's the process for creating/reviewing and modifying these?

What parts of the development process would you like to see streamlined because maybe it feels kludgy to you?

The reason I'm looking to hear about the various strategies is because I'm designing a tool to streamline these processes, so I want to ensure it's flexible as possible.

Re: Client Interaction and Design Strategies

Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 1:12 pm
by Jade
This probably isn't as detailed as you wanted but it gives you a general idea which may help. I have a quote/contract/billing/task-issue/debugging mash of a system. Good luck with your software!

1. Contacted by the client (through word of mouth or from a blog/advertisement/forum post)
2. Provide a quote for what they want done
3. Create a contract if they decide to go ahead with the quote
4. Await the signed contract and first down payment before work starts
5. Provide up to 3 different layout design templates/graphics
6. Code the layout (or use the layout template they've provided)
7. Start programming
- create the database tables for the feature/functionality
- program the feature/functionality
- send the client an email when or if a feature is done/started or if a feature needs review
- repeat :D
8. Fix bugs and modify features per client's request
- this continues until all the clients issues/bugs have been addressed
9. Tell the client the work is finished
10. Recieve the final payment for the work provided