AST Group
14 years of collaboration with a global satellite communications company.
Like anything worth investing in, just having a great new website isn't enough to drive traffic and deliver ROI. It's like opening a new shop packed full of goodies, but all that's visible from the outside is a discreet door, no signage, no lighting, no inviting product in the window, nothing. A website is only effective when people can find it, so light it up, make it shine.
Through a series of workshops, we'll define the key functionality requirements, user personas, user journeys, content hierarchy, navigation, page layouts and technical specification. Everything we do is built with the user in mind, through our UX lab we'll test and analyse user interactions to ensure your site performs optimally, generating engagement and revenue for you.
It's a bit of a cliche but great websites don't just happen by chance, neither do they fall off the back of a template lorry. They're considered, engineered to the highest standards, they're well optimised, fast-loading, and the user experience is oh so sublime, beautiful in fact.
We won't bore you with the technical capabilities of our web development team, needless to say they're darn excellent, there's nothing they can't deliver. From a simple website to a complex integration or shopping site, they've got it covered.
But, before a piece of code is even written, there's a lot more thinking, research and planning to do. We'll get the flowchart pens out, make lots of notes, drink lots of tea, eat lots of biscuits, ask lots of questions and generally immerse ourselves in your world until we understand it like the back of our hands.
First question of many, why do you need a website ? What's its purpose ? Who are your audiences ? What do they want and expect from a site like yours ? The list goes on. We have lots of questions and make no apology for it.
We love talking to actual users because there's only so much that can be gleamed from Google Analytics (and it's incredibly boring) – the data might tell us what's happening, but not why. Why didn't the user complete their purchase ? Why didn't they fill in the enquiry form ? How easy was the site to use ? What didn't they like ? How was the mobile experience ? What would make their visit better ? Understanding what's wrong with an existing site is just as important as planning a new one.
Once we've digested the data, understood your goals and gathered our thoughts we'll begin designing the site architecture and page layouts, or wireframes. At this point, our UX gurus really shine. From there, it's over to the creative team to design the various components and elements in keeping with your brand style. Only then do we let the developers loose.
Well written code, optimised for search and adhering to best practice in accessibility and performance are the hallmarks of a Creative Sponge site. Our QA team check every page, every piece of functionality, every form, button, slider, carousel and component to ensure your site works as it should regardless of device or browser.
Technology changes so quickly though even we find it hard to keep up. But don't worry, we have a range of maintenance and support packages to ensure your site stays compliant and secure well into the future.