Getting started
Setting up a website from scratch can be a confusing and frustrating experience
if you are a small business owner, professional, community group or individual.
Where do you start? What is it all about?
l Domain names l Hosting services l Stages in development and maintenance of a website l
Domain names
You'll need a domain name for your website. A domain name is a unique address on the world wide web. Our website address www.movinglines.com.au is our domain name. Getting a domain name generally involves applying to an official registrar with responsibility for registering domain names in your country.
Before you apply for a domain name you need to think about:
1. What name you will use for your organisational or individual name. Try to choose a short and an easy to remember name that best matches your "public" name.
2. What type of domain you want. A domain indicates type of entity owns the website to which the domain name is attached. For example the .com part of the Moving Lines domain name indicates that we are a commercial business. There are a range of entity types used in domain names, including:
.com for businesses
.org or .asn.au for not for profit organisations
.gov for government agencies
.edu for educational institutions
.net for networks
.biz a new domain name for businesses to deal with the saturation of the .com domain
.info for information resources web sites
.name or .id.au for individuals
.us for American sites
.tv for new media sites
3. Whether you want to include a geographic identifier to the domain name. For example the .au part of our domain name indicates that we are based in Australia.
Applying for a domain name
Moving Lines can support you in making application for a domain name. The first
step is checking if your desired domain name is available. The Norid
site provides links to registrars around the world. You'll usually find
a function on the registrars' sites that enables you to check the availability
of your desired domain name.
For Australian domain names you can conduct an .au whois search.
Hosting services
You'll need a computer website server to host your site so that people can access the information on your website.
There are many commercial organisations offering website hosting. Choosing which one needs careful decision making about the size of your website and the functionality you require on the site.
Here are some questions to consider:
How long has the hosting service been operating?
Do they provide 24x7 support?
How is security managed to ensure website security against hacking attempts?
Are web programming languages such as .php, .asp supported?
What is their level of downtime?
What charges apply for packages as well as for any instances of excessive use of bandwidth or strorage space?
What server software and utilities do they use?
Do they provide pre-installed scripts for common functions such as mailing forms?
Can you install third party software?
Do they support web streaming?
What support is there for email boxes and mailing lists?
Is there any specialised software available such as a shopping cart application?
The Web Host Industry Review site lists a range of hosting services by cost,
functionality and server type categories.
Choosing a hosting service
Moving Lines can support you in choosing an appropriate web hosting service.
We'll discuss your plans for a website and your budget and suggest web hosting
services that may meet your needs. We can provide you with independent advice
on this important part of your website development journey.
Stages
in website development and implementation
Developing and implementing a website has a number of stages. Moving Lines
can help you understand each of these stages and make decisions about the
best ways to manage the stages within your budget.
1. Analysing the information needs of your users
This can be a simple or more complex activity in which potential users of your website are canvassed about their expectations of what your website can offer them. Working with users before you start commiting to a design and structure for your website can ensure that you don't make the costly mistake of a website no-one uses,
An alternative way of managing this stage is to develop a series of "use cases" where we work with you in identifying typical client interactions to support development of a user-centred plan for your website.
2. Designing a blueprint for your site
Using the information gathered in the User Needs Analysis stage a "blueprint" for your site is developed. The blueprint, or the website design, involves making decisions on :
The content of your website and how it will be organised on your site.
The labels you will use for the sections of your site.
The navigation structure of the site.
Page layouts or templates.
A look and feel for the site (colours, graphics, fonts).
Functions for the site, for example, mailing lists, databases, members options.
Moving Lines has specific expertise in information architecture, the skill that underpins the creation of website blueprints.
3. Developing your website
This stage is all about the build of your site. The creation of graphics, navigation labels, page templates, metadata and style sheets, and the programming of functions.
You will be involved in this stage in the provision of content to fill the pages. Its a good idea to start developing the content for your site once you have signed off the site blueprint. It takes a lot time to collect information for your site and to get it written in a form that is suitable for the web.
Want more information on writing for the web? Check this classic 1997 paper by Jakob Nielsen.
4. Installing your website
This is a relatively easy step when using a web hosting service. It's easy to get excited at this stage. You'll see your website on the World Wide Web for the first time. But don't get too excited - you need to check a few things first.
5. Checking the usability of your site
Similar to user needs analysis, this can be a simple or complex activity. The main aim of this stage is to have a few people, carefully selected, who have not been involved in the website development attempt to find information on your site. You will find it easy to find information - you've been involved in the design. But can someone who comes to your site for the first time find information easily or will they have a frustrating experience and not return? Carrying out even a simple usability testing session will help make the final adjustments needed to make your site truly useable.
6. Launching and promoting your site
This is the stage where you can celebrate. Have a party, issue media releases, tell your friends and business colleagues. At this time your site will also be registered with search engines and perhaps listed in trade or professional online or printed directories.
7. Maintaining your site
The work involved in designing and developing a website is exciting and challenging. Its easy to overlook the fact that the information on your website will become outdated, and that your company or activities will extend or contract. The content of pages will need to be changed. The structure of your site may need to be changed. And at some stage you'll probably want a fresh look for your site - new colours and graphics.
Now you've got a basic idea of what is involved why not contact us to further discuss your requirements.