THE PROCESS

Stage Four: Testing and Launch

We often involve clients in the testing stage to work out any content issues that come up with the final site. Improvements are often made at this stage to content, as the site is reviewed in its final form. This stage also involves some automated process, such as checking links and file locations. For larger sites with a higher budget, we would involve a third party company to conduct usability testing in a controlled environment.

Proofreading is also a key element of the final testing stage. Client input and content changes are common once the pages are active, so a final proofread is important. We often ask the client to be involved in a final read through before the site is transferred to a live server.

There is also a great deal of technical testing to be done with any new back-end systems created for the site. This involves putting the systems through the test as a user entering and retrieving data on a regular basis. Any technical bugs are reported and corrected during this phase, as well as any usability improvements that may be realized. Visual testing is done across Windows and Macintosh platforms and across Microsoft and Firefox browsers.

During this stage, we will manage the transfer of domain names and/or transferring files and accounts from any testing servers to live servers as needed. All final link checking is done one more time on the live server along with the testing of back-end systems and server e-mail functionality.

The last part of a site launch is registering with the major search engines. This also includes registering the site with the appropriate business directories, if required in the project. Keyword and Meta tags are generally incorporated early on in the copywriting phase.

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