Design and Interface Design

Stage I. Pre-project analysis

Interface design work begins with a pre-project analysis. At the working session with the client, we describe the vision of the project (vision), which describes its essence and goals, and also lists the intended functionality of the system in the form of brief interaction scenarios. In addition, an analysis of the needs and context of the work of the target audience, which is described in the form of key characters, is carried out. An initial sitemap is also compiled that shows the approximate structure of the future system. It usually takes about 3 days to write and approve these basic documents, after which we plan the remaining work and give an accurate estimate of the time and cost of their implementation. Therefore, it is more convenient to conduct a pre-project analysis under a separate contract - it is difficult to obtain an accurate assessment of two months of work without prior research.

Stage II. Requirements collection

In the next step, we are preparing a detailed list of functionality (user stories). It allows you to take into account all the functional requirements and better understand the features of the future system. Based on it, we conclude which of the functions require the whole process, which of which are just a separate page, and which will be a fairly simple button. Focusing on the characters created earlier, we update the site map and draw up a navigation scheme. After that, diagrams of transitions between pages are drawn - they combine the pages of the system within specific processes. Now we know how users will work with the product as a whole and how to perform specific tasks. Stage lasts about 4 days.

Stage III. Interface Design

The third stage is the most important. Here we create wireframes, which show what information and controls should be placed on the pages of the system. This is not a design yet, but already the basis for it - wireframes are the technical task for the designer. Communication with the client at this stage is quite dense - clarification of questions and approval of drawings goes several times a day. But there are also enough results - depending on the complexity of the project, from a few dozen to a couple of hundred page outlines come out. The duration of the stage is from one to several weeks.

Stage IV. Interface design

The final stage is the visual design of the interface. First, on the basis of a pair of key pages, we work out a creative concept. After the general style has been approved by the client, the design layouts of the key pages of the system are drawn. At this stage, the product takes on the appearance - before that we were engaged in its essence and principles of work. For projects that plan to actively develop, we are also preparing a style guide for the interface. It describes the principles of visual design of the product and will allow to preserve its integrity in the process of improvements. Work on this stage lasts 1–2 weeks.

Stage V. Preparation of the specification

If necessary, we are preparing a preliminary technical task for the development of the system. It combines previously obtained documents, expands and lists additional system requirements - functional, architectural, operational. At the request of the client, detailed interaction scenarios can be drawn up that describe step by step how the user works with the system.

The final stage. Acceptance

Acceptance of work by the client can take place in one large package of comments or be divided into several smaller stages. The deadlines in which the comments must be submitted, evaluated and corrected are stipulated in the contract.

We also provide authoring support for the designed interface. This means that as system requirements change, we update the package of interface documents with these corrections. In modern projects such changes occur constantly and support allows you to maintain the integrity, convenience and efficiency of the designed interface.