Southwave's Web Development Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

The project development journey varies based on its complexity - sometimes, it takes a few weeks, while for more complex websites and applications, it can take several months. At Southwave, we break the process down into key stages to ensure everything runs smoothly. How we approach it:

1. Initial Meeting: Before the initial meeting, we conduct research on our client's current solution, competitors and collect ideas. Once we finally meet, we begin by asking questions and gathering requests to gain a deeper understanding of the project's vision. Right after this first meeting, we build high-level requirements, set goals, and establish a preliminary Scope of Work.
2. Discovery Phase: Spoiler alert: this is the most critical stage in developing your website - this is where the planning magic happens.
3. UI/UX Development: Crafting a design tailored to the client brand, end-user needs and project goals.
4. Frontend Development: Bringing the design to life by developing an intuitive user interface.
5. Backend Development: Building the functionality that powers your website.
6. Testing: Ensuring everything functions properly across various devices.
7. Project Release and Post-Launch Support: Launching the finished product and providing ongoing support and maintenance.

Our initial meeting is usually an estimate of your business idea in a rough form. In this initial discussion, we want to understand what you envision for the project and how we can assist you in bringing it to life. At this point, we estimate about 40% of the future work involved in it, based on factors such as project complexity, required functionalities, and initial technical feasibility assessments.

Any project begins with the discovery phase. Our team collaborates with you to analyze your project's business goals and explores your organization's core architecture, whether you're upgrading an existing website or starting from scratch. Here are some of the key aspects we explore during this phase:

• Integrations: Does your website currently have any integrations, or will it need them in the future? We need to know this upfront to avoid any complications later in the development process.
• CRM Systems: Do you already have a CRM integrated with your website, or are you planning to add one? Knowing which CRM systems you'll use is essential at this stage.
• Partnerships: Are there any business partnerships, such as with delivery services or warehouses, that we should consider? If your business processes involve collaboration with partners, we need to account for these interactions during development.
• Subscriptions for Site Visitors: If you plan to offer subscriptions, this is a significant factor that will impact both development time and cost. We generally recommend a customized approach over standard "package" solutions for projects requiring subscriptions.
• Banking Systems: Will your website need to connect to banking systems, or are you already working with one? This is a key detail for us to understand, as it affects development time and helps us prevent potential issues later.

The discovery phase provides each client with a comprehensive documentation package that outlines all the project requirements and proposed solutions. This package includes the following documents:

1. Project technical description document – a comprehensive overview of the project covering technologies, client information, and the core purpose of the platform and website.
2. User flow diagrams – visual representations outlining how users will navigate and interact.
3. Architecture diagram – a schematic depiction showing how the entire process operates, system components, and their interactions.
4. ERM (Entity-Relationship Model) diagram – a structured diagram showing the relationships between data entities, providing clarity on the database design and data flow.
5. MVP quotation (if needed) – an estimate for both frontend and backend development for the Minimum Viable Product, including scope and costs.

If desired, you can take this documentation to explore other options on the "market."

With our personalized approach, you'll also benefit from having a well-organized team ready for long-term collaboration after this thorough process.

We typically take 7-10 business days to complete the discovery phase, which includes 3-4 meetings with the client to address all the necessary details. However, there may be some variation depending on the project's complexity.

Following the discovery phase, we move forward with designing your project if a design is needed. Here, our UI/UX designer works closely with you to ensure that all your preferences and references are taken into consideration.

If you already have a logo, brand guidelines, or references - great, we'll use them. If not, we'll guide you through the process of creating them. Our goal is to ensure your design reflects your brand, speaks to your audience, and works seamlessly with the functionality we're building.

The frontend development stage begins after the client approves the designer's work and finalizes the design. We then turn the approved design into a fully functional user interface by our frontend developers.

The development of a detailed work plan and diagrams at the discovery stage enables the early development of the backend part.

Creating a seamless environment for the development team to start working effectively involves basic DevOps tasks, such as purchasing a server, deploying GitLab and GitHub branches, setting up a development environment, creating a database and its structure, managing project authorization, and assigning roles.

Backend development typically begins early in the process. While frontend developers focus on the visual interface, backend developers work behind the scenes, setting up the database, core logic, and integrations that power your site. This includes building the backend structure, implementing site functionality, and developing features like authorization systems and admin panels.

Additionally, backend development may also involve integrations with Google Calendar, banking systems, and newsletter subscriptions.

At this stage, your project is fully developed, encompassing both design and functionality. To identify and fix any bugs that may have been missed during development, it's essential to thoroughly test the entire system before going live.

During testing, a QA specialist is assigned to the team to identify and document these issues for both the team and the client. This ensures that everyone understands where and when errors occur and how they are resolved.

By the end of this stage, you'll have a fully finished project that ensures a seamless and error-free user experience before launch.

It is a long-awaited moment where both the client and the team, after closely monitoring performance to ensure a smooth transition, see the result of their work come to life. Your project is now live and officially launched online. Your website is fully functional, and your business idea is ready to deliver results for you. The entire development team remains with you during this crucial phase, ready to provide support and address any potential issues that may arise after launch.

We stay actively involved in the first 2–3 weeks post-launch to identify and resolve any issues early, allowing you to focus on growing your business, not fixing bugs. It's crucial to ensure that all processes outlined during the discovery phase are followed as planned. Additionally, future updates, such as changes to the programming language or server, may require monitoring. Our team will resolve any issues promptly, ensuring minimal disruptions to your workflow.

From day one, a dedicated project manager oversees your entire process, from documentation to post-launch. Their role? Keeping things on track, communicating updates, and removing bottlenecks so you don't have to.

The discovery phase is where we break down each task and provide detailed estimates. For complete transparency, we also provide screenshots that show the number of hours each developer spent on specific tasks. The client receives a clearly outlined task list in either Trello or Asana, depending on their preference.

By comparing time spent with planned time, clients can ensure better planning and smoother project management moving forward.

To ensure that clients always know exactly what they're paying for during the development of a project, we strive to make the collaboration process as transparent as possible.

Our goal is to provide results without unnecessary complications, and this is where the individualized approach in the discovery phase comes in. We can only develop a solution that meets the client's unique vision and business goals through a customized, tailored approach. Personalized strategies allow you to achieve your business objectives in a way that perfectly aligns with your unique vision.

If you have an idea and are ready to explore custom solutions, don't hesitate to contact us. At Southwave, we're prepared to help you bring your vision to life.