Eclyptix

• Our Project Workflow

  Every project goes through specific and defined phases. With each phase, more context is built and as individual milestones within each phase are finalized the project becomes smoother and smoother (e.g. Project Blueprint which guides Production Planning which guides Wireframes which guides Design which guides Coding and Development)

  • Setting SVN Server  From the very beginning every document and line of code is tracked for changes and can be compared with previous versions. We take care of all documentation so you don’t need to worry about it.  Everything can be exported at project completion
  • Consulting Stage  We can consult with you and allow you to tap into our collective knowledge, expertise, and resources to come up with the best strategy for start-up success from both a marketing and technology perspective
  • Project Blueprint Stage  We take the time to familiarize ourselves with your needs. Talking with you extensively to discover the most important parts of your project is critical and we work module-by-module within your Basecamp project to build a robust Project Blueprint (synonyms - Road Map, Technical Documentation)
  • Production Planning Stage  Our team thoroughly analyzes your finalized Project Blueprint and consults with you on the best project path for version one and two of your start-up (allowing us to plan for future extensibility).  We are strong believers in the Minimum Viable Product methodology for the majority of start-ups we work with. After that we plan production hours broken into phases (wireframe, coding, design, development, account management) – creating broad milestones for each phase and subsequently breaking the project down into specific milestones phase to phase in conjunction with to-do lists. All schedules are kept up-to-date to ensure constant productivity and traction. This also allows you to keep close track of progress and real-time project status
  • Wireframe Stage  We wireframe every page of your website before bringing it to life in Photoshop. This allows us to focus on layout, page architecture and usability ahead of aesthetics and will lead to a higher quality product. You will review all wireframes in batches and we will work together through corresponding revision cycles and approvals until all pages are wire-framed and we can continue to the next phase.
  • Design Stage  During the design stage, we bring the wireframes to life within Photoshop, focusing on clean, modern and usable design focused just as much on user experience as aesthetics and based on your unique brand, preferences and target audience.  You will review all pages in batches and we will work together through corresponding revision cycles and approvals until all pages are wire-framed and we can continue to the next phase. Visual appeal and usability are both considered as equally important
  • Coding Stage  This is the phase where all finalized pages (in PSD format) are coded into standards-compliant XHTML and CSS. Every page is held to the highest industry standards and code is clean and compact.  We also handle front-end development at this stage utilizing AJAX/jQuery/JavaScript for smooth, elegant and usable interfaces
  • Database Design & Data Collection Stage  Using the Project Blueprint and all project assets up to this stage, we model the database and collect necessary data to support the application's needs. We optimize the database structure from the beginning and index it at the end of development
  • Application Parameters Stage  Before we start with programming we create a list of parameters; things like thumbnail sizes, predefined variables and so on. This enables the programming phase to progress quickly.
  • Server Environment Configuration Stage  Different applications may require different server software. If applications use video, then video conversion software must be prepared to support it. If your website uses Gmail to import contacts then special modules must be included to support these operations.  In this stage, we setup a private testing environment that will mimic the live environment of the website and/or configure your server so we build it directly on the server it will launch on
  • Programming Stage  After the terrain is ready and everything has been prepared thoroughly in the previous stages, we can now commence programming. If everything was planned carefully even the most complex projects will progress smoothly in this phase. Version control is extensively used during this phase so we can track all changes made to all modules. De-bugging is also practiced first on a modular then on an application level.  For most start-ups the programming stage also includes implementation of our robust framework for many typical features in order to provide robust solutions for many common application elements, like authentication, registration, payments, advertising, administration, content management, etc...
  • Optimization Stage  When your website is built, we then ensure that it will be able to handle the targeted number of users without problems. We optimize your website on many levels: database optimization, complex caching, moving scripts to pre-compiled states in shared memory, etc. For websites with huge traffic loads, load balancing can also be utilized
  • Usability, Functionality & Security Testing Stage  Every project goes through this Quality Assurance phase, no matter how small or large. Any bugs or issues found are stored in our bug tracking software with detailed circumstances as to how they are produced. This further ensures that your project meets the highest standards.  We also conduct thorough browser-testing on all major near-current browsers for maximum compatibility across browsers like Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Chrome
  • Beta Launch Stage  Whew, it’s been a ride, but it’s time to launch your website in beta.  This can be a private/closed beta for additional QA by you and/or focus groups, etc... and the website can be released to the public at your direction
  • Source Code / Asset Transfer Stage  At this stage we transfer all project assets including source code (site license), PSDs, your SVN repository and even Basecamp activity for maximum long term benefit and flexibility (you have built something special, after all!)
  • Warranty Stage  Once your website is approved and goes live, we provide a 30 day warranty on all features
  • Post-Production Planning Stage  Now that you have a live website, we work with you on executing marketing strategy (if we’ve been engaged for this service), building a version 2 plan and can provide monitoring/maintenance/support retainers.

• Our Methodologies

  • Real-time Progress Tracking  Staying informed in real-time cuts costs and lowers the risk that something will be done wrong. We use conference calls, collaborative web-based project management (Basecamp), RSS and iCalendar to track milestones
  • Good Communication  We practice various communication methods starting with the Project Blueprint and collecting feedback at every turn during production. This ensures everyone is on the same page before going on to the next stage
  • Frameworks  These are rules our entire production team follows. They make life easier for everyone in the short and long term. We use frameworks for PHP, JavaScript and even for CSS
  • Source Version Control (SVN)  Creating software without keeping track of versioning leads to overwritten files, lost code, and longer deployment time. This leads to frustration on both the development and client side. Our source control system (SpringLoops) ensures that this doesn’t happen and we can export logs at project completion for client ownership
  • Coding Conventions  Short but strict coding conventions gets our whole team on the same level. Readability of code is greatly improved, leading to shorter deployment cycles, better application performance and optimal maintainability
  • Naming Conventions  File names should tell you what the file contains. We adhere to strict naming conventions to shorten the development process
  • MVC Development   We ensure every solution is well designed, no matter the complexity of the project. Our Model-View-Controller approach greatly helps reduce complexity in architectural design, increasing flexibility and reuse
  • Logical File and Folder Organization  You shouldn’t have to read documentation to find something. From the Project Blueprint to programming, everything should be in its proper place. This greatly reduces time used finding essential resources
  • Bug Tracking  Once spotted, bugs are documented and fixed before the next development stage. If any bugs are found during development or testing they are stored in our bug tracking software. This further ensures that you are delivered the highest quality product
  • Hallway Usability Testing  If a sight doesn’t have a usable interface it’s not ready to launch. Our design is done by experienced personnel, but it’s always a good idea to use random people to test any website. This is very critical because of the complexity inherent to larger websites where there are many different interaction types between users
  • Strict Roles  Programmers are programmers, the same holds true for designers, coders and testers. This ensures that everyone is motivated, experienced and loves their job and produces the highest caliber work possible
  • Dedicated Teams  Internet trends change from month to month. Time spent on the development of your project can easily be a breaking point for your business. Assigning dedicated teams per project ensures that your website will be launched in the shortest amount of time possible

• Our Technologies

  There is always debate regarding programming languages and databases, their merits, complexity, speed, etc... Equally important as choosing individual technologies are our web development methodologies and your business strategy, both short and long term. We specialize in the following web technologies as they consistently deliver the value and capabilities needed for our client's goals and objectives:

  • PHP5, for server side programming  We use approaches that are proven from the aspect of good code organization and reusability.  These practices also affect turn-around time and lower business risks
    • MVC, for better code organization and scalability
    • Frameworks, for better team work and collaboration
    • Object Oriented Programming, to ensure code reusability
    • Minimalistic Coding, for better code maintenance
    • Modular Approach, for better application reusability and scalability
    • Multi-Language Approach, this separates language from code
    • Highly Configurable Abilities, per single module and entire application
    • Abstracted Smarty Template System, for even more simplicity and power
    • Optimization Of Application, at every level
  • jQuery, JavaScript, AJAX for client side programming  To preserve server resources, achieve better user experience, and increase application usability, it is essential to incorporate client-side programming
  • Flash, for media streaming, animated charts and special client applications
    • Basically we typically use Flash for two primary reasons: creating beautiful flash charts that feed from your database to present your data in a more meaningful way and streaming multimedia content like movies and music
    • Alternatively, Flash may be used to power rich media applications
  • MySQL5, for data storage  Our database of choice is MySQL5. It’s the world's most popular open source database because of its consistent performance and high reliability. It's used by many of the world's largest and fastest-growing companies for powering high-volume websites, business-critical systems and pre-packaged software. It is also a standard in the hosting industry so you can have it enabled regardless of your choice of hosting provider
  • CSS and XHTML, for coding  CSS is a tool used to separate the content of an XHTML document from style and layout. We use the a CSS framework for development. There are many advantages to using CSS:
    • Makes changing the layout easier and shortens production time
    • Smaller file sizes that help load optimization (pages are loaded faster)
    • Search engine benefits (you can control and prioritize important text that will be displayed in search engines instead of navigation elements that would be displayed if your solution wasn’t optimized with CSS)
    • Accessibility (separating style from content makes life easy for visitors who prefer to view only the content of a web page, or who just need to modify that content)
    • Consistency (layout and position of navigation can be consistent website-wide)
  • Linux, for the application environment and the Apache web server We develop applications for the Linux operating system. Linux is the most common standard in the hosting industry so your website can be hosted with virtually any hosting provider (we typically recommend LiquidWeb). Also after application deployment we can adjust server conditions to ensure all of your needs are completely met. We:
    • Optimize environment on the server-side
    • Install server modules needed to support your application
    • Configure PHP and Apache on the server-side for proper application operation
    • Enable extra security layers for your application upon request
    • Scale server resources to meet your growth
  • Application Optimization  The goal of application optimization is to attain high speed performance and to utilize fewer hardware resources. This is usually the last step before testing and software deployment. These are the typical methods we use for projects with high traffic expectations:
    • Accelerate code by keeping it in a pre-compiled state in shared memory
    • Optimize databases for fastest queries
    • Caching on multiple levels: database, file and memory
    • Stress testing the application
    • Optimize your application for HTTP protocol - load optimizing
  • HTML5, for mobile websites and videos on platforms like the iPad
  • iOS, for iPhone Development
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO)  The goal of SEO is to organically establish a presence on the major search engines and to benefit from getting targeted visitors from these websites. Search engines are a very important component of most successful start-ups. We are aware of this and every application is created from start to finish with this in mind. These factors only begin to cover the aspects we consider with every web application build-out:
    • H1 header tags for prominent content titles
    • CSS image replacement in graphical navigation
    • Graphics used in the website have descriptive, keyword-rich alternative attributes that are useful
    • Website map with text links
    • URLs of database-driven pages are simple and static
    • Flat directory structure
    • Pages in the website have keyword-rich meta descriptions with editing ability from the CMS
    • Custom error pages
    • Filenames and directory names include targeted keywords
    • Integration of Google XML Sitemap
    • Integration of Google Analytics
    • Social bookmarking plugins for blogs and content

Recent Blog Posts

• Apr 6, 2011 Why Site Speed Matters
• Feb 10, 2011 How to become the Captain
• Jan 27, 2011 State of the Eclyptix Union, Part 1

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