I have always been fascinated by the laws of physics that govern processes in our universe. One of these laws is the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which, in simplest terms, states that in any given system, disorder—or entropy—always increases.
My approach as a web designer has always been systematic, where I strive to create order from disorder. This perspective, in a way, is a defiance of the Second Law of Thermodynamics.[1] I see the disorder as the ideas that linger in a client’s mind, and the order as the final product: the website we create. This metaphysical meaning provides us with the motivation to give our best in every web design project.
What is our web design process?
For the sake of clarity and focus, let’s assume we have gained a new client. Here, I will skip the processes of marketing, quotation, negotiation, and so on. Those are topics for another blog post. Below are the five basic steps in our web design process:
- Discussion and brainstorming of ideas
- Collecting text and images
- UX/UI design in Figma
- Revisions and remarks
- Web Development (building the website)
- Final corrections, and launch.
As a first step, we create a Google Drive folder, where we add the PDF with the initial quote, the official agreement ready to be signed, and two other documents. One of these is an Excel sheet with a timetable that explains each phase in our web design process to the client. Each step has an estimated completion time and indicates who should be involved—either the client or a member of the Tivius team. For example, the client is responsible for providing the text (unless we provide copywriting services as well), while our team is responsible for the design in Figma, and so on.
1) Discussion and brainstorming of ideas
Clients can have many ideas and may not always be sure what they prefer, or they may know exactly what they want. Some clients may have no design ideas at all, leaving that entirely to us. In any case, the initial meeting or brainstorming session is crucial for defining the ground rules and direction of the design.
In the first case, where the client has many ideas, we try to narrow them down during this initial meeting. We use a detailed questionnaire for this purpose. In the second case, we make sure to understand the client’s idea as best we can. Finally, in the third case, we present some design concepts to the client and try to establish a design direction.
2) Collecting text and images
This is the copywriting phase, which is either done by our copywriter or by the client. In many cases, the client already has an existing website, so we use the existing text as a base, enhancing it as needed. Sometimes, the client chooses to completely revise the old content. Images are typically provided by the client or selected from an online imagery platform, where we have a premium subscription.
Occasionally, clients opt for our photography services, which allow us to create unique and professional imagery for their website. Video production services are also available, adding a more dynamic and modern look to the site.
3) UX/UI design in Figma
We firmly believe in the UX/UI principle of achieving more with less. Our designs are minimalistic, modern, and elegant, but creativity always takes the forefront. Before starting the design, we sketch a layout and flow for the site, outlining all the sections on the page.
Our designer creates the prototype in Figma, typically for 3-5 pages, rather than all pages, as other pages usually follow the design of these key pages.
As you can see in the screenshot below, from a project for a U.S. client (an airport shuttle company from Colorado), we prioritize organization. The designer always creates a ‘Brand’ and a ‘Design’ tab. Inside the ‘Brand’ tab, we develop the UX/UI design system for the website (color scheme, typography, logo system). Some clients already have these brand guidelines prepared in advance.
The design itself is created in a separate tab. Here, we develop the five main pages for this project. In some cases, we first design the homepage and send it to the client for approval. We don’t proceed with the other pages until the client approves the homepage design. In other cases, where we have more freedom from the client, we create the designs for all pages at once.
4) Revisions and remarks
The design is usually presented in a meeting (the second meeting) or sent via email. In either case, the client reviews it and sends us their feedback and requested revisions. These revisions typically involve minor changes to the design, sections’ order, and so on.
We ask the client to summarize their requested revisions in a single Word document. Our designer then implements these revisions. We avoid adding motion, scrolling, and hover effects at this stage. This allows us to work efficiently and prevents us from presenting a partially completed design. We explain to the client that these effects will be added during the development phase.
5) Web Development (building the website)
Once the design is ready and approved by the client, it’s time to implement it as a live website. Although we refer to this step as web development, a more accurate term might be website building. We use WordPress as our CMS, along with Elementor Pro as our primary website-building tool. The PHP theme may vary depending on whether the site is corporate, eCommerce, or another type.
It’s important to clarify domain, hosting, and email setup at this stage. In most cases, if the client has an existing site and we’re doing a redesign, we build the site on a temporary subdomain. After completion, we migrate it to the actual domain. I will discuss these aspects in greater detail in another article.
Building the website is the most time-consuming and challenging task in our web design process. Depending on the website type, this phase can take anywhere from 10 working days for a corporate website, 20-30 working days for an eCommerce site, and more than 30 working days for a more complex web platform.
Once the website is complete, we present it to the client, focusing especially on responsiveness (both mobile and tablet versions). During this phase, we work on speed optimization by implementing caching, resizing images, and converting them to WebP format. Security is another important aspect. Usually, hosting providers offer backups, SSL certificates, firewalls, malware monitoring, and more. We also provide the client with instructions on performing regular updates for the theme and plugins.
6) Final corrections and launching
In the final step of our web design process, we complete all final corrections requested by the client. We fix any bugs found along the way and make improvements related to basic SEO. Migrating the site from the temporary domain and hosting to the final one typically takes a day or two.
After migration, we conduct a final checkup, paying particular attention to permalinks and button functionality. Finally, the website is launched. Before this, we record several video tutorials for the client, demonstrating how to edit text, update images, and perform other basic tasks in WordPress (such as adding blog posts). Website maintenance is optional, and we offer several packages for ongoing support.
At the end, we conduct a brief client satisfaction survey and ask the client to leave us a review on Google, where we currently have a 4.9 rating.
What’s next?
Websites are a dynamic category. Things change quickly on the internet, from design trends to technology updates. Regular theme and plugin updates, which are essential for site security, are a must. Adding new content, updating text and images, and improving SEO are also highly recommended. Google favors sites that are active and provide fresh, high-quality content.
Websites may also need upgrades over time, such as adding features like an interactive map, online payment gateway, new forms, or a login and membership module. We offer our clients the opportunity for long-term cooperation, where we can implement new features as needed.
Ultimately, our goal is not just short-term client satisfaction but long-term durability and functionality of the product we create.
[1] Of course, my “defiance” to this physical law is more symbolic; in strict physical terms, all the energy consumed, and other resources used during my work on a project, will still contribute more disorder to the physical system than the order created by the website.
