The Web Designer Wheel

The Web Designer Wheel is simple process model that describes in five steps how to manage a small web project and relations with client.
This approach allows you to work better, set and respect milestones and establish profitable and long-term relations with your clients. Here is the process:

webdesigner-wheel

The model

Requirements Definition: in this first step you have to “translate” all customer requests in requirements and features to implement. You can elaborate a list with a certain number of items that describe what you have to do.

Planning: for each item you identified in the previous step, plan a start date and finish date. Prepare a daily to-do list to set milestones and measure your progresses during development and test phase.

Development and Test: write and test implemented features. Proceed following the daily plan you elaborated in the previous step. Measure your progress day by day and re-plan activities if it’s necessary. Communicate weekly to client your progresses or significant changes about the release date of the project.

Check: do a final “massive” test stressing all implemented features. Do a final check involving client.

Release and Follow-up: release the final product and monitor the follow-up. Get client feedback.

  • Reply
    Chirag
    November 3, 2009 at 5:21 pm

    Very well explained.

  • Reply
    Edmundo Jr.
    November 3, 2009 at 5:59 pm

    I like this kind of articles, about “how to manage” the web projects and this kind of stuff, and I thing the client feedback is a important step many do not give.

    Thanks! Really useful :D

  • Reply
    seven
    November 3, 2009 at 7:11 pm

    This is a common cycle of software development too.

    Nice pic!

    • flux
      November 5, 2009 at 3:14 am

      yes… is the same thing

  • Reply
    siku
    November 3, 2009 at 7:54 pm

    Web Designer Wheel looks great. Love the way it’s put together. Very Creative. :)

  • Reply
    sophy
    November 3, 2009 at 8:32 pm

    thankx share this idea!

  • Reply
    paul
    November 4, 2009 at 2:22 am

    it looks great in theory but in practice, it’a more of an iterative process, going back and forth between you and the client

  • Reply
    Zeus
    November 4, 2009 at 9:19 am

    Nice! I’ve been revamping my development process and this makes a great visual.

  • Reply
    lumbreras
    November 5, 2009 at 1:23 pm

    Thanks, I appreciate this image in better resolution or pdf, is very useful.

  • Reply
    esranull
    November 6, 2009 at 12:19 pm

    very nice thanks you are great

  • Reply
    Schalk Neethling
    November 6, 2009 at 5:57 pm

    Hi Antonio,

    I think this needs to be the dream wheel ;) In my experience with clients there is often very little information upfront, to get content is a pain and explaining to them that following a clear process that includes proper testing often fall on deaf ears.

    I have had some clients that understand this process and actually ask for it but those are and far between. Great article and I hope more clients read this and start to understand it is not simple and requires more and then in general, it is not easy, it takes planning and hard work.

  • Reply
    zalun
    November 9, 2009 at 1:49 am

    Just a question – why is it a wheel?
    Is it repetitive across one project or you meant the whole development live experience?

  • Reply
    Shailen
    November 12, 2009 at 11:23 pm

    Very well explained :)
    Simple and direct that should be followed by all of us.
    I print it and stick on my office wall.

    Thanks.

    Cheers,
    Shailen.

  • Reply
    Alex
    November 16, 2009 at 1:09 am

    Very nice article, thanks!

  • Reply
    Mahi
    January 3, 2010 at 2:27 pm

    It’s the same Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), but in developer point of view. Nice…..

  • Reply
    Amit
    July 29, 2010 at 12:49 am

    Nice Article! Thanxx

  • Reply
    Xcellence-IT
    January 5, 2011 at 10:29 am

    nice explanation… thank you.