Understanding Website Customisations: Why Does It Take Time?

In the ever-changing world of technology, website customisation is a necessity. However, clients often question why these updates and changes take time. This is a valid question and we hope this article will demystify the processes involved.

The Building Blocks: Comparing Websites to Real Estate

Firstly, let's use an analogy to shed light on this process. Think of your website as a property. Now, imagine you want to remodel the kitchen, add an extension or even just paint the walls a different colour.

These home renovations, just like website customisations, are not immediate. You wouldn't expect a builder to show up and complete a home renovation within a few hours, right? You have to plan the project, get a quote, approve the quote, complete the work, and then inspect the finished product before you can live in the remodelled space. The same principles apply to website customisations.

The Stages of Customisation: From Planning to Deployment

1. Quotation Stage: When you request a customisation, we first need to understand what it entails. The complexity, volume of work, and other variables will affect the time needed.
2. Approval Stage: Once we provide a quote, you review it and give the green light for us to proceed.
3. Design Stage: We then design your request on a 'staging site', a separate, secure space where we test new features or updates without affecting the live website.
4. Development Stage: After you approve the design, we begin developing the customisation. This is where we convert designs into code, ensuring the functionality matches the aesthetic.
5. Review and Approval Stage: Once the development is completed, you can review the update on the staging site. If any adjustments are needed, we make them during this stage.
6. Deployment Stage: After final approval, we move the customisation from the staging site to your live website.

Throughout each stage, meticulous care is taken to ensure quality, functionality, and alignment with your vision.

The Queue: Multiple Requests and Prioritisation

Another factor to consider is that you're not our only client. As much as we would like to provide instant customisations, there may be other clients' requests ahead of yours. We manage all requests through a ticketing system that ensures each client is treated fairly and work is done in an orderly manner.

The Coding Conundrum: Turning Designs into Reality

Converting designs into code is a complex process, akin to translating one language into another. It's not as simple as 'copy and paste'.

Imagine if you want to translate a book from English into French. Even if you are fluent in both languages, you can't just substitute English words for French ones. Syntax, context, and even cultural nuances play a big role in the process.

Similarly, we can't simply paste a design into a website. We must write code that recreates the design in a functional way, whilst ensuring it's compatible with different web browsers, mobile devices, and accessibility requirements.

In essence, each customisation is a delicate balancing act between design and functionality, which requires time, precision, and expertise.

In Conclusion

Website customisation is a detailed process involving several stages. Each request is unique and requires a specific amount of time and resources. We value your business and we work diligently to deliver high-quality work.

We hope this article provides a clear understanding of why website customisations take time. If you have any further queries, please don't hesitate to get in touch. We're here to help!