Whether you’re a web developer or hire a website development company to create a website for your business, the goal is to create an online presence so that you can reach a larger audience. A well-designed website offers a seamless user experience, and like every technical procedure, a website development project should follow certain steps or standards to ensure the desired results. A website development life cycle is a blueprint of the client expectations and steps involved in project completion. This article takes a look at the life cycle of website development.

• Prerequisites
  You must ensure that a few things are in place before starting a website development project. First, understand client expectations and hold detailed project discussions for proper planning. Setting the expectations in the initial stages is the key to ensuring a smooth process, or it may lead to an extended timeline and budget. So, conduct brainstorming sessions to get the best ideas out of client expectations while being in line with the company’s objective. This should include coming up with ideas to reach the target audience and understanding what kind of content is fit for the target audience.
• Planning
  Once the purpose of the project is clear, the next step is to choose the correct website development methodology. This stage should outline the deliverables, the estimated timeline to complete the project, and the required resources. Content structure, layout design, and user interface discussions should be held during the planning phase.
• Design
  At this stage, it’s time to discuss website design as soon as you have a project outline or sitemap. This is the time for website designers to show their creativity. Website designers should work closely with the clients to understand the project requirements and keep the target audience in mind while designing the website. Ensuring a unique design and user-friendly experience is critical for website designing. The design must be attractive to create a good first impression on users and retain their interest.
• Implementation
  The client and all the stakeholders should approve the design before the implementation begins. Content development should also be undertaken simultaneously at this stage, and a website should have clear, concise content that will be easily understandable by the customer. All products and/or services should be appropriately described on the website for customer clarity.
  The website function is subsequently integrated depending on the choice of tools and technology. An important factor to consider is that the website should be responsive and user-friendly, irrespective of where a user accesses it.
• Testing and deployment
  Testing is a crucial task to ensure that the website is error-free before deployment. A series of tests are conducted on all devices and platforms to ensure that you have a well-functioning website. These tests ensure the functionality, compatibility, and performance of the website, and the testing phase may also involve some fine-tuning to optimize these factors. A website is considered market-ready only after the quality assurance team’s approval.
• Maintenance
  Post-deployment, the website requires regular maintenance to enhance the user experience. The modifications are made based on the data collected as feedback from end-users.

How much does website development cost?
Website development is a challenging task as it involves several procedures. While cost should not be a major constraint when looking for high-quality website development, you don’t have to go overboard and spend a lot either. Many companies in the country offer quality website development services at affordable rates, no matter how big or small your project is.
You should hire a team of experienced professionals to ensure the timely delivery of a successful website. This will also ensure that the development is seamless and smooth.