Site Mission • How is your site intended to serve you? Will yours serve as a public relations or information center? An online catalog, perhaps? Next, define who your target is, and how much the internet impacts (or may be viable to) this market. Always factor the cost to promote your new site ... with non-internet media.

Where To Begin • Draw an organization chart with the following specifications: Top row, one box. Middle row, three boxes. Bottom row, six to nine boxes. Name the top box “home”. Name the middle three: “Who We Are”, “Products or Services”, and “Contact or Order”, or something similar to the illustration below. Name the bottom boxes as they would apply to the middle row names and your organization. Lines can be drawn down from one level to the next to show relation of one topic to sub-topic(s).



Try variations that are more appropriate to your organization, keeping in mind that you should start your site with no more than three levels deep. ( .... or to put it into a navigational perspective ..... no single web page is more than two clicks away from your opening page ) With this flow chart, you now have a good basis and a rough blueprint for a functional web site organizational design.

Planning • As in any media design ... think of a linear story line. What is the logical “story-board” sequence to informing others about your organization and product? The site also has to provide the viewer with the flexibility to “roam at will” through your site, and enjoy the visit.

Will the site or pages change often? Built-in expandability is a key to flexibility and efficient site management. Janus will help you build a flexible navigation schematic for your site, with additional modules and linking developed as needed. From the beginning, your site will be well-organized.

Budget • What does a web site cost?

Fixed costs • domain name registration and web site hosting. Domain name registration cost is currently $70 for two years. There are a few registrars who are offering discount rates for domain name registration, dependent upon length of service. Commercial web server hosting cost ranges from $10 to $40 per month, dependent upon hosting features. Janus can assist you with properly registering a domain name & choosing a hosting service.

Variable costs • Web Design. Janus Communications design services are $60 per hour, billed to the quarter hour. Typically, a single web page can require 1 to 2 hours to develop the layout, incorporate copy and graphics, establish hyperlinking, test, proof, and upload new files to your site. Revisions to existing web pages usually require less time, dependent upon the number of page elements or hyperlinks changed. I will prepare a detailed estimate for your approval prior to starting any work.

Materials • The designer/developer needs to be immersed in the scope of the project. Client provided company brochures, competitive examples, letterhead, press releases, data sheets, video, drawings, photographs, computer image files, “web sites that appeal” lists, all help speed your site’s design development.

Conceptual Development • Janus will interview you in order to develop design concepts that will integrate the graphic “look and feel” of the site, along with the navigational controls. In this stage, several static and working layouts will be developed and delivered to you for design review/modification/approval. The final design will be incorporated as the site home page, and pages or sections can then be added at your convenience.

Revisions • Think of making changes in the early design stages of a phase, to reduce time and costs. Planned growth and site updates are optimum, whereas frequent and reactive changes on your site can be both expensive and detrimental to overall site effectiveness. When modifications are requested, Janus will provide an estimate of additional time needed, for your authorization and approval.

Construction / Maintenance • The pages and links are built according to the design plan and budget established in early planning stages. When project conditions are optimum, a site can often be erected and functional within a few days. Typically, once a site is up and running, very little maintenance is required.

E-Commerce • Is it for you? Click Here for a quick reading lay article on the subject.