Methodology

Getfused’s five-step User-Centric Methodology is designed with a single purpose:  creating effective web-based solutions that meet our clients’ business goals, whether that’s an increase in online sales and subscriptions, a more reliable and dynamic web presence, or more efficient communication between departments.  It’s an iterative web consulting process that enables us to deliver incremental results that drive to your larger objective, while being flexible enough to accommodate new learnings as the process unfolds.

Getfused’s Five Planes of User-Centric Design:

1. Strategy:  We begin by working with your stakeholders to identify specific, measurable goals.  Critical to this is defining audience segments so that we can get an accurate understanding of your target users—including what their needs are and how they will interact with your site or application.
   
   
2. Scope:  Together, we specify how we will accomplish your objectives, initially carving off faster-to-complete, high-impact components that will produce immediate results.
   
   
3. Structure:  This phase is focused on developing the site map, defining how various types of users can move from one page to another quickly and logically.  This includes determining top-level navigation or persistent site categories.
   
   
4. Skeleton:  This is a visual representation of the structure.  It is the strategic placement of the visual elements, such as navigational links, promotional blocks and related content that comprise the site.  This is where we walk through user scenarios and develop conversion paths that will lead your users to desired outcomes, building out prototypes and wireframes that reinforce those navigation patterns.
   
   
5. Surface:  The final stage in the development process, this addresses the appearance of your site or web-based application.  We create the web design elements that bring your site to life, draw users in, and reinforce your brand. Because it is the most tangible aspect of a web presence, people often think of this as the starting point.  However, just like you wouldn't build a house without blueprints, designing a site without fully understanding and specifying how it will be used in the near- and long-term would be a recipe for disaster, inevitably leading to expanding scopes, creeping budgets and extended timeframes, as well as scalability and reliability problems