This stage includes initial discussion of the project with the customer. Generally some sort of initial documentation in any form required from the customer. It could be graphics or HTML mockup, text vision or features list. This materials should be logically structured, if possible. The customer could also suggest his preferences for methods of the realization, technologies used, development process, etc. We try to make a rough estimate for the timeframe and costs of the project, based on the customer’s materials. More materials we get, more correct estimation the customer has. The estimation is usually a range of min-max prices. We usually not provide exact estimation at this stage. If it is still required, we would provide the absolute maximum price. This stage is free of charge.

This stage is coming after the first stage if the customer is comfortable with the price and timeframe. At first we agree the costs of planning stage with the customer. This stage includes detailed exploration of the project and creation of the project specification. Usually the specification is developed like a sort of user guide for future application. All small details would be discussed in this document. We usually also suggest some things, which could improve the application functionality, GUI or usability. This document could be used also as a technical specification to the designer or programmer not from our team. The other document is the final estimation. It could be used as project roadmap with some milestones specified. Some other documents (question lists for example) are created if needed. Usually we sign a contract after providing the final estimate and specification to the customer. If the project costs would be higher, than the max cost defined earlier, we would provide an explanation of the reasons and would provide some discount for extra sum.

This stage includes development process itself. We provide the customer with reports and milestones as agreed in the final estimation. Sometimes the customer would like to change the functionality add or remove some feature. This could affect the cost of the project – make it sometimes cheaper but most likely more expensive. The earlier the customer would provide his addons/removals the less efforts we would need to implement changes, the less would be the project total price.

The first thing we do is usually data schema. It could be database schema or collection of xml files or internal interface schema, what is required for the certain project. After that we usually works on the graphical interface main prototype(s). The next stage is the back-end functionality and integration of functionality and design. The last stage of the development is the deployment of the project and quality assurance cycle.