Website Development Phase

Once the design and architecture documents are approved, the Development Phase begins. The goal of the Development phase is to prepare all the components of a fully functioning website for delivery. Development involves the actual production and testing of the site's design and technical features. In most website projects, the "Development Phase" will require more staff time and resources than any other phase.

• Function of WebTeam during the Development Phase
  In this phase WebTeam must bring all groups to the process. Click the groups on the WebTeam blueprint to see the objectives, deliverables, and activities required in this phase.
  
  1. The 1st phase tab will be Discovery
  2. the 2nd phase tab will be Definition
  3. the 3rd phase tab will be Design
  4. 4th phase will be Development.

Development Phase in the context of website creation with a more detailed breakdown of what typically happens during this phase:
Development Phase Overview:

1. Coding and Implementation:
   • Front-end Development: This involves translating design mockups into actual web pages using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Front-end developers focus on how the site looks and behaves in the browser, ensuring it's responsive across devices.
   • Back-end Development: Developers work on server-side logic, databases, and integration of APIs. They ensure that functionalities like user authentication, data processing, and dynamic content delivery are implemented correctly.
2. Integration:
   • All components, including front-end and back-end, are integrated. This includes setting up the server environment, databases, and ensuring all parts of the application communicate effectively.
3. Testing:
   • Unit Testing: Each component or function is tested in isolation to ensure it works as expected.
   • Integration Testing: Ensures that different parts of the application work together seamlessly.
   • System Testing: The entire system is tested for performance, usability, and functionality across different environments and devices.
   • User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Involves real users or stakeholders to verify the site meets their needs and expectations.
4. Quality Assurance (QA):
   • Beyond testing, QA involves checking for bugs, performance issues, security vulnerabilities, and ensuring compliance with web standards. This phase might include automated testing, manual testing, or both.
5. Debugging:
   • As issues are found during testing, developers debug and refine the code to fix problems, ensuring the site is robust and user-friendly.
6. Optimization:
   • Performance optimization is crucial, which might include compressing images, minifying code, optimizing database queries, and employing caching strategies to enhance load times and user experience.
7. Documentation:
   • Although often overlooked, creating or updating documentation for developers, administrators, or users is vital. This includes code documentation, setup guides, user manuals, etc.
8. Security Measures:
   • Implementing security features like SSL certificates, data encryption, secure coding practices, and protection against common web vulnerabilities.
9. Content Population:
   • While the structure is built, content might be added or finalized. This includes text, images, videos, and interactive elements.
10. Version Control:
    • Using systems like Git to manage code versions, allowing for collaboration and easy rollback if needed.

Resource Intensive Nature:

• Indeed, the Development Phase often requires the most staff time and resources because it involves a wide range of skills (developers, testers, designers, project managers) and activities. It's not just about writing code but ensuring everything works together in a way that's functional, accessible, and secure for users.

Outcome:

• By the end of this phase, the website should be fully functional, tested, and ready for deployment or the next phase, which might involve final tweaks based on last-minute feedback or preparation for launch.

This phase is critical as it turns concepts and designs into a tangible, interactive product that can be experienced by users.

(IA) Information architecture is the art of expressing a model or concept of information used in activities that require explicit details of complex systems. Among these activities are Content Management Systems, web development, user interactions, database development, programming, technical writing, enterprise architecture, and system software design. Information architecture has different meanings in the various branches of IS or Information Technology architecture. Most definitions have common qualities: a structural design of shared environments, methods of organizing and labeling websites, intranets, and online communities, and ways of bringing the principles of design and architecture to the digital landscape .

1. Without a good understanding of your content, you will not be able to create an information architecture that works well for current and future content.
2. If you do not know all about the context, you will not be able to create something that works for people and the business, and you will have endless trouble in the project.

Information architecture (IA) is the structural design of shared information environments; the art and science of organizing and labeling websites, intranets, online communities and software to support usability and findability; and an emerging community of practice focused on bringing principles of design and architecture to the digital landscape.
Typically, it involves a model or concept of information which is used and applied to activities that require explicit details of complex information systems. These activities include library systems and database development.
The next lesson will cover the fifth phase of the process, Delivery.