Nexus4 Build Process

Building a website for a business that you don't own or operate can be a complicated and challenging task. Unfortunately, many agencies fail to deliver successful results because they don't take the time to truly understand the business they are building a website for. At Affordic, we do things differently. We are dedicated to understanding our clients' businesses and creating websites that achieve the results they want. We don't believe in building templated, one-size-fits-all websites. Instead, we use the Nexus4 build process for every client site we create. You'll see this process in action throughout our collaboration, and we encourage you to get familiar with it.

Our groundbreaking approach to web solutions is tailored to meet the unique needs of underserved small business owners, and we are committed to prioritizing their success over our financial gain. This is what sets Affordic apart from other agencies - our focus on your success. Unlike other agencies that may prioritize profits, we're dedicated to helping our small business clients succeed. We keep our team small and agile, and our costs low, so we can focus on delivering the results you need. It all starts with the Nexus4 Build Process.

The waiting phase in the Nexus4 build process is critical, occurring when the development team is waiting for feedback or materials from the client before proceeding. Without the client's input, the team cannot move the project forward, as they may require missing information, assets, or approvals.

It's worth noting that the waiting phase is not an official stage in the Nexus4 process, but rather an inevitable part of any project that involves collaboration between various parties. Therefore, the waiting phase is not unique to Nexus4 but is common in projects such as web design and development.

To indicate the waiting element effectively, the Affordic team designates it as "Requires Client Action" on the WordPress Web Design and Development timeline. This tag alerts the client that specific information or materials are necessary to proceed with the project.

The source phase is the initial stage of our website development process. It's a critical step where we gather all the essential information and materials required from our clients to build their website. This includes their logo, color palette, website copy, and a list of other websites they like. We also gather data on their specific requirements, including the content, structure, and technical specifications. Additionally, we ensure consistency with their brand identity by collecting their branding guidelines.

Our comprehensive approach in this phase helps us to create a website that meets the client's expectations and effectively represents their brand. We believe that a clear understanding of our client's vision, mission, and goals is crucial in building a website that is not only visually appealing but also user-friendly and conversion-driven. Therefore, we take the time to carefully gather and analyze all the necessary information during this stage to lay a solid foundation for the project's success.

The source phase is undoubtedly the most demanding stage for our clients. Once you become a client, we will ask you to undergo our highly proprietary data intake process. This process requires an extensive amount of information and could potentially take hours, days, or even weeks to complete. However, it is crucial for us to understand your thoughts, feelings, needs, and desires since we cannot read your mind.

It is essential for every client to understand that the source phase requires a significant time commitment on their part. If you do not complete the intake data accurately and thoroughly, we cannot proceed to the next phase of our process, which could add extra time to your project, resulting in additional costs. Therefore, we highly recommend that you take this initial step very seriously.

During the synthesize phase, our team carefully analyzes the information gathered in the source phase to create a comprehensive plan for the website that aligns with your branding and business goals. We start by creating an isolated development environment where we can efficiently organize and place all of the content you provided us in the source phase. This helps us to establish a clear structure for the website, and we create a detailed site map that outlines all of the pages and how they will link together. By doing so, we can visualize the website's hierarchy and ensure that the user experience is intuitive and easy to navigate.

Once the site map is in place, we'll create wireframes that act as blueprints for the website's page layouts. These wireframes will show the placement of text, images, and other elements to give you a sense of the overall design. Our goal is to ensure that the design meets your expectations and the specific needs of your business. During this phase, we'll also work to optimize the website's appearance for both desktop and mobile devices, so your customers have a seamless experience regardless of the device they're using.

When we're satisfied with the website's design and functionality, we'll create a prototype in a second isolated environment called the staging environment. This prototype will showcase the website's visual aesthetic and usability for your feedback. This stage is less about functionality and more about visual appeal and usability, so we'll focus on ensuring that the website's design elements align with your branding, and that the website is easy to navigate and use.

Lastly, during the synthesize phase, we'll develop most, if not all, of the website's content and technical aspects, including page content, SEO optimization, and website functionality. By doing so, we'll ensure that your website is optimized to achieve your business objectives and deliver the best possible user experience for your customers.

The scrutinize phase is a critical step in our website development process. During this phase, we carefully review and refine the website plan developed in the synthesize phase. We conduct extensive testing on the website's functionality, design, content, and technical aspects to ensure that it aligns with your requirements and goals.

However, what truly sets the scrutinize phase apart is the extensive client feedback. This is where the client has the most opportunity to interact with, review, and provide feedback on the website's functionality, design, and content. We encourage clients to be as thorough as possible in their critique so that we can make any necessary adjustments before the website is launched. By emphasizing your feedback, we ensure that the final build meets your requirements and aligns with your goals.

During this phase, we review every front-end aspect of the website together with the client. This includes testing the website's functionality, ensuring the site's responsive behavior, and its ability to display correctly on mobile devices. We also review the site's overall content for accuracy and search engine optimization, including creating and refining any copy or design elements needed to provide valuable information to users and optimize the site for Google.

Overall, the scrutinize phase plays a crucial role in ensuring that the website meets the client's expectations and goals. By working closely with the client and emphasizing their feedback, we can fine-tune the website until it's ready for launch. At the end of this phase, we will point DNS and launch your site into a production environment! Affordic will configure your website to use the domain's APEX (bare, naked, or root) and not a FQDN (www), but if you require the use of a FQDN, please let us know.

During the service phase, our team provides continuous support and maintenance to ensure optimal website performance and meet the client's ongoing needs. Our commitment to ongoing support includes a monthly allotment of design time, which is replenished every month. Design time covers any request to modify or update website content, and we will make any necessary changes or updates during this allotted time.

Our goal during this phase is to keep the website secure, maintained, up-to-date and relevant, so that it continues to safely function optimally and meet the client's ongoing needs. Furthermore, we manage the entire hosting environment for your website, including security updates, backups, configuration changes, and any technical support that you require.

We provide regular maintenance and performance reports via email each month, which are a critical component of the service phase. These reports include key metrics such as website traffic, visitor behavior, and conversion rates. They also detail any maintenance we have performed on the site during the month and any specific work we have done for the client during their design time allotment.

Our service phase is a critical part of our website development process. By providing ongoing support, maintenance, and design time, we help clients maximize the value of their website and achieve their business goals.

Your business needs a website at a price you can afford. You need Affordic.