Video Series Part 3: Getting the Most out of the Design and Development Process

For anyone looking to take a major website rebuild or project underway, it is important to understand how the design and development processes work. For those new to the eCommerce space, this can become easily overwhelming. However, as we discussed in the first part of our latest video series, attaining exceptional results on a limited budget is easier than you think. We believe the best work is that which provides the most value for your dollar. Our latest video features Trellis CRO Jared Shaner giving some insider tips to teach you how to get the most out of your design and development processes while operating with a limited budget.

Beauty in Simplicity

We encourage brands to stay true to themselves during the entire process from inception to success. Up and coming eCommerce brand should not try to replicate the industry giants. Ensure to convey your brand’s image and identity rather than mimic an established heavyweight. Understand what you are trying to accomplish and set a baseline to stick to throughout. Making decisions early on that cater to an underlying theme will yield dividends in the future.

Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

All of the major platforms have pre-built themes that have been created by leading agencies like Trellis. These themes can act as a foundation for your project and may be modified and added onto for a brand’s specific needs. This step can save hundreds of development hours which equates to tens of thousands of dollars saved.

Strong Interdepartmental Communication

The relationship between an agency and the client is a two-way street. Both teams need to coordinate strong communication to ensure that everyone is on the same page. a brand’s creative lead should be in direct contact with the designers at the agency and vice versa. It is vital that decisions are made early on in the design process to avoid having to backtrack and fix later down the line.

Vet the Design Team

This is one of the most important decisions you will make when it comes to having a successful build that comes within budget. Check to make sure the agency you are working with has some design assets that have been previously tested and have turned out positive results. This will save you development hours and will give you peace of mind knowing that your agency is full of true experts rather than just claiming to be. Check out Trellis’ past work for prime examples of how a project can be successfully executed within budget.

Set Design Reviews

This top goes hand in hand with the strong communication we urged for earlier. Establish the goals of the site, what it will look like, and make sure that all stakeholders approve of the plans before getting to work. The worst-case scenario is for any design and development project is when you are halfway through the build and someone in the company joins the conversation only to disavow of the agreed-upon work and strike through hours and hours of work. This not only wastes time and money but can become frustrating for all parties involved. The executive team at the company and agency should all be on the same page and approve of the work being done at different stages of the building process. Spending a little extra time, in the beginning, to hash out all the details and double-check that what you want is truly what you want will save you tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run.

Tune in next week for the next edition of our latest video and blog series on thought leadership!