If you came to HG with a concept for a website, what would you get?
How do these guys go from an idea or a sketch to a finished product?

The Website Design/Build Process

Stage 1 Website Design

They begin the process by designing a visual interface, building up the technological "behind-the-scenes" components, and then stitching the two together to provide a base website. To start, Richard will consult with you to determine the requirements in terms of the visual design and interface of your website. From this he will craft a non-interactive mock-up of the website. This usually consists of the home page, an inner page, and specific-purpose pages (such as administrative views or advanced contact forms). These will incorporate sophisticated imagery and a high level of polish. This is the bulk of the Website Design Stage.

Richard will present these early versions to you for approval and possible revision. This gives you an opportunity to revise the overall look and feel of the site before they commit to building it. Leif often says, "It is much easier to redesign a house when you are working with the blueprints than after you have poured the foundation." And Richard guarantees that you'll be impressed with his design mock-ups. Once the revisions - which are usually minor tweaks instead of wholesale changes - are approved, then they'll will move on to the Website Build Stage.

Richard's "single-concept" method for designing websites is not the most common approach out there, but it is founded in the wisdom of the venerated graphic designer, Paul Rand.

One of the more common problems which tends to create doubt and confusion is caused by the inexperienced and anxious executive who innocently expects, or even demands, to see not one but many solutions to a problem. These may include a number of visual and/or verbal concepts, an assortment of layouts, a variety of pictures and color schemes, as well as a choice of type styles. He needs the reassurance of numbers and the opportunity to exercise his personal preferences. He is also most likely to be the one to insist on endless revisions with unrealistic deadlines, adding to an already wasteful and time-consuming ritual. Theoretically, a great number of ideas assures a great number of choices, but such choices are essentially quantitative. This practice is as bewildering as it is wasteful. It discourages spontaneity, encourages indifference, and more often than not produces results which are neither distinguished, interesting, nor effective. In short, good ideas rarely come in bunches.

The designer who voluntarily presents his client with a batch of layouts does so not out prolificacy, but out of uncertainty or fear. He thus encourages the client to assume the role of referee. In the event of genuine need, however, the skillful designer is able to produce a reasonable number of good ideas. But quantity by demand is quite different than quantity by choice. Design is a time-consuming occupation. Whatever his working habits, the designer fills many a wastebasket in order to produce one good idea…

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