- Phase 4: Production and QA
- Establishing Guidelines
- Setting File Structure
- Slicing and Optimization
- Creating HTML Templates and Pages
- Implementing Light Scripting
- Populating Pages
- Integrating Backend Development
- Understanding Quality Assurance Testing
- Creating a QA Plan
- Prioritizing and Fixing Bugs
- Conducting a Final Check
- Phase 4 Summary
Phase 4 Summary
The production phase is probably the most straightforward phase in the Core Process. You actually produce and build the site. There is little room for improvisation. Production is a straight shot from start to finish: Query your client, compose the Client Spec Sheet, consult on feasibility with the visual designers and the information designer (Phases 2 and 3), build the Protosite and test functionality (Phase 3), receive the graphic templates from the visual designers, slice and optimize graphics, build HTML templates and integrate light scripting, build and populate individual pages, integrate complex functionality and backend applications and/or engineering, and test. Then breathe. Then build the HTML Style Guide and prep for handoff (Phase 5).
Why involve the production team throughout the entire process? Quite simply, without advance checking, testing, and confirming, the building phase can be risky. You may as well get off a ski lift and ride down any random run without checking its skill level. Think of the possible crises: finding out as you build the HTML templates that your pull-down menus block the contracted advertising space, or trying to slice and optimize a layout that simply does not translate to HTML. Either of these scenarios would involve chalking up as a loss the numerous hours spent coding. The team would have to backtrack, and if the launch date is firm, you might not have enough time.
Not to worry, however. The Core Process sets you up so that production can get pulled off with minimal hitches. Sure, you encountered bugs every site has them. Be thrilled that production is done! Well, almost. Your site is built. It is logically organized and will be easy to maintain thanks to well-thought-through HTML. Your site is bug free. It is user friendly. It looks exactly as your visual designers intended. You are ready to take care of launch and what follows. If this were that pie we mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, it would be baked.
Now get ready to serve.
Phase 4 Check-Off List
Prepping
Compose the Client Spec Sheet
Assess project status
Building
Set file structure
Receive graphic templates from the visual designers
Slice and optimize graphics
Create HTML templates
Implement light scripting
Build individual pages
Populate individual pages
Include invisible content
Integrate complex functionality and/or backend engineering
Freeze production
Testing
Create QA plan
Conduct QA testing
Prioritize and fix bugs
Conduct final check