Our Process

Process

Our process is flexible and informed by a thorough understanding of our clients' needs. As a full service interactive agency we have many specialties and we work with a broad range of clients in different capacities. Are you an established brand looking for fresh ideas and guidance in the interactive space? An ad agency that needs an innovative online extension of a print or broadcast campaign? A funded startup looking for a partner to help guide and execute your big ideas? We work in all of these capacities and more. We thrive on creative and technical challenges and from making creative ideas work. So how do we do it? While our process may be different depending on the specific constraints or medium of the project, our high level approach to interactive projects typically includes four main components: Define, Create, Develop, and Refine.

Define

Definition

Definition is the critical planning phase of any large-scale project. We start by identifying and defining the project's high level goals and constraints. Next we work collaboratively with our clients to brainstorm ideas and to define the priorities, feature set, and project schedule to achieve the project's goals.

Create

Information Architecture

This phase is most applicable for large-scale web projects or for application development. A sitemap or application flow is created from the requirements and feature set determined in Definition. Detailed wireframes of the main interface areas or site pages are created as a way to visualize content organization and prioritization, as well as functional requirements. Emphasis is put on an intuitive interface with logical flows of information and clear calls to action. Multiple rounds of wireframes are presented for client feedback and approval. Creative Direction Creative directions for the project are presented based on the approved information architecture wireframes. The directions provide visual options for the clear presentation of content and are informed by client input, competitive analysis, and our vision for the project. Options for the project's creative direction are presented for client feedback and approval.

Design Production

Once a high-level creative direction is approved, visual designs are created based on the Information Architecture to demonstrate the creative direction and proposed interaction for all key site screens. At this stage we may develop functional prototypes or conduct usability testing to validate the design direction and proposed interaction, depending on the scope of the project.

Develop

Development

Development begins once the project's designs are approved. The scope of development is based on the feature set created through Definition, the functional wireframes in Information Architecture and the approved design treatment. For large-scale projects we typically provide at least two working prototypes at different points in the development phase.

Quality Assurance

We conduct unit testing throughout the development process as components of the project are implemented, as well as cross-browser testing for web-based projects as interfaces are completed. Throughout Quality Assurance, we provide reports outlining the status of any outstanding issues.

Integration / Deployment

During this phase, we work with our clients' internal technical staffs to ensure that projects are rolled out smoothly and are properly integrated with existing systems if applicable. At the completion of the deployment phase, we provide documentation for guiding the evolution and maintenance of the project to the client and we can lead in a training session to ensure a full knowledge transfer.

Refine

Analyze

We can easily integrate an existing analytics package or create custom reporting schemes to track key project metrics and to document achievable business goals. As part of the post-launch process, reports generated from analytics tracking are provided to inform clients of potential next steps for enhancement.

Enhance

We employ an iterative design approach, which can be utilized for achieving both short-term and long-term goals. The analysis of trends allows for rapid learning and constant evolution post-launch. Through a collaborative approach, we can provide recommendations and help prioritize additional features for further project refinements.