Balsamiq Wiki

My Web Design Process (Part Four)

 

Thanks for coming back guys to read part four in my series where I talk about the web design process that I use when creating for clients. In this post I am going to discuss what a web host is, choosing a domain name and where to buy it and finally I will touch briefly on the web design and development tools that I most commonly use.

Choose a Web Host

Once you have decided to create a web site or you have a client that needs a web site, and you have all of the stuff that I mentioned in my previous post organized, I would say now is the time to choose a web hosting company that will store all of your files. A web host is a company that keeps all of your data secured on their web server and make it available for the world. If you want a comparison, Lifehacker has written an article detailing what they consider the 5 best web hosting companies. A reputable company should offer 24/7 live tech support, ZERO down time, 1-click installers for Content Management Systems such as WordPress, Joomla, etc. and unlimited disk space and bandwidth for your domain(s).

Web-Hosting1

Do your homework and choose a web host wisely.

When it comes to finding a decent web hosting service, it pays to do your research. Not all companies are created equal. In other words, you get what you pay for. A quality web host should offer database and framework support, language support, 100% uptime and site backup along with other features. When I am asked by people who I would suggest I always recommend Bluehost. My experience with them so far has been awesome. The customer support is top notch and their tech support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But as with anything, make sure you do your research before settling.

Pick a Memorable Domain Name

A domain name is a URL. It’s the address that people to type in their search bar to land on a web site. I like to use Go Daddy when I’m searching for and buying domain names. These guys provide a handy tool which allows you to search for the availability of any domain name you can think of. Choose a name that’s short and easy to remember. Smashing Magazine has written a wonderful article about the effective strategy for choosing the right domain name. I always suggest buying a domain from Go Daddy and using Bluehost as your web host.

The Design Tools of the Trade

adobe

Fireworks, InDesign and Photoshop are the design standards in the creative industry.

 

There are several software programs that I use in my web site creation process. Each of these serve their own purpose. For my low-fidelity wireframes I like to use Axure or Balsamiq. I will then jump into Photoshop or Fireworks to create the high-fidelity wireframe. Once my mock-up is complete, I will then cut out all of the graphics that can’t be reproduced using CSS and place these in a folder for my images.

Once the typography, color scheme, functionality and overall layout have been signed off by the client, then I jump into my text editor to work on the code. I have used a number of text editors but nowadays I usually use Sublime Text. There are numerous code editors available out there that accomplish the same thing and each of them have their own pros and cons. I would recommend using the editor that you feel most comfortable with and take it from there.

Final Thoughts

What about you? What is your process? Do you use any of the tools that I mentioned? Where do you go to find and purchase a domain? What about hosting? I would like to hear any personal stories that you have to share about the numerous hosting companies out there.

Well, that’s all that I have for now. Feel free to follow me on twitter @carltonstith and leave a comment in the form provided. Until next time, peace.

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