Website Development and Payment Schedule

This is the typical schedule for designing a site. You can stop the process at any time.

1. Initial Meeting

Before the meeting, you should look at other sites. Note what you like and what you don't like. Are they easy to read and navigate? Do they take forever to download? Do they give you confidence? This will help you decide what you want for your own site.

If possible, you should bring:

A knowledge of who will be looking at the site, what you want them to do, and ways to make them do this.
Ideas for the colours and layout, aka the skin. I can provide ideas as well.
Copies of existing logos or artwork, if available. I do not need the final copy immediately, but I do need to know what to plan for.
Content ideas for three or more pages. Your site will grow and shrink as you add and refine content, but three pages is enough to start with. Existing brochures will help here.
Estimate of final site size. This will help us choose the menu structure.

I will let you know at this time if you have asked for anything outside the basic package.

A deposit of one hour's fee is due before programming begins.

2. Programming and Demonstration Site

I program the site and put it on our host, including up to three pages of content. You get the edit password.
The site will be in the final form, except it will be clearly marked "for evaluation".
You use any computer to add more content (if you wish), then ask your friends for their opinions.
You ask me for any changes to the skin or features.
Process repeats.
Evaluation site will remain up for at least 3 months (and in our archives for a year or more).

Payment of half the balance is due before the site is moved to your permanent host.

3. Move to Permanent Host

The hosting arrangement is between you and the host, and usually charged directly to your credit card. I will help you do this.

The balance is due after the move is complete and the site is working.

4. Maintenance

You continue to update your site to keep it current and fresh, or pay us to enter content you provide.
You email me after making any changes, and I will check that you did the picky, technical things, like <alt> tags so the search engines understand your pictures. Hourly rate may apply if there are many updates. I can teach you how to do the technical things for yourself. Thinking about search engines helps improve the visible content.

5. Software Updates

PmWiki is constantly being added to and improved. I will hear of any upgrades, and inform you of any that are necessary, or if there are any new features that might interest you.

I will do all necessary upgrades at reduced cost for two years. There have been only two necessary upgrades in the last five years, to solve obscure security issues. I will inform you before doing the upgrade. There will be a fee past two years.

I will charge for the actual time spent to upgrade to take advantage of new features that you request. This is usually one hour.