Project process of a digital agency

Today I'll show you the project process at smartive. Our structured but flexible process ensures that your project runs smoothly from start to finish. And don't worry, we always remain transparent and work closely with you.

The most important facts in brief

• Our basic principles: Agile by default, radical transparency and co-creation
• Project process: Setup, scoping, ideation, implementation, go-live, operation and further development

Our basic principles

Before we get started, I would like to introduce you to our three basic principles that characterize each of our projects.

1. agile by default:

We always work in an agile way and mostly according to Scrum. And we have been for a very long time. For us, this means that we are always ready to react to changes and continuously incorporate improvements. This also applies to this project process. What doesn't fit is changed and practiced until it no longer fits.

In a digital project such as a customer portal, a quotation platform or even a mobile app, we can quickly make adjustments in this way and ensure that the end product meets your expectations exactly. We implement jointly defined tasks in regular sprints and continuously review the results. Your opinion counts - we use constant feedback to make the process flexible and effective.

2. radical transparency:

Honesty and openness are the be-all and end-all for us (😜). You are always kept up to date and are always aware of what is happening. Regular updates and feedback loops are standard for us so that everyone involved always has the same level of knowledge. We use various communication channels so that no information is lost and you always have a clear overview. More on this below.

3. co-creation:

We firmly believe that the best ideas come from collaboration. That's why we work hand in hand with youto bring your visions and ideas to life. Together, we develop solutions that deliver exactly what you need and imagine. Your technical expertise and our digital know-how complement each other perfectly to create innovative and customized products.

The project process

Now you know our basic principles. So let's dive into the details of our project process. We assume we've already met and exchanged ideas. You've read our offer for your new web designyour customer portal or your PWA and said "yes" - great, let's get started!

1. setup

It all starts with an on-site kick-off meeting. This is where everyone involved meets in person to get to know each other and establish the basic terms of cooperation. We clarify how often and where we will meet and which tools we will use. Our central tools are Notion for all project information and Figma for the visual elements. In this meeting, we also define the expectations, roles, responsibilities and availability in the team so that everyone knows exactly who is working on what and how the collaboration will succeed.

2. scoping

In dieser Phase geht es darum, dein Geschäft und deine Bedürfnisse richtig zu verstehen. Je nachdem, wie weit du schon bist, überfliegen wir das nur noch kurz. Falls deine Idee noch ganz grob ist, tauchen wir hier tiefer ein.

Wir klären die Anforderungen, analysieren deine Bedürfnisse und erstellen Personas. Falls nötig, führen wir Marktanalysen durch und machen Umfragen. Mit Lean UX hypotheses we lay the foundations for what exactly is to be built. The aim is to have a clear picture of what you and your customers really need. Through workshops such as Lightning Decision Jams or Design sprints we make sure that no important information is overlooked and that we keep an eye on all aspects of your project.

3. ideation

Now it's time to get creative! In the ideation phase, we develop the information architecture, create wireframes and prototypes. If necessary, we also test these directly with users to ensure that we don't design without their needs in mind. We work with you to fine-tune the details and turn your visions into reality. Through interactive sessions and creative brainstorming, we develop innovative and user-friendly solutions.

4. implementation

The implementation starts with a Sprint 0, in which we prepare everything for the launch. This includes technical aspects such as the repository setup or the automated deployment pipeline. End-to-end tests and a high level of automation in the pipelines ensure that everything runs smoothly and the quality is right. We use state-of-the-art technologies and development practices in order to develop efficient and scalable solutions.

To do this, we use Scrum, where we define the user stories with acceptance criteria and schedule them into the individual sprints. We deliver a new executable package at each sprint review.

We set up several development and test environments. This gives us the opportunity to test and release features step by step.

With us, no code change ends up on the test system until it has been checked by a second experienced software engineer. In this way, we simultaneously ensure know-how transfer and the highest possible code quality.

5. go-live and handover

Our aim is to launch a first version as quickly as possible and then continue to develop it further. To achieve this, it is ideal if we complete the project process described here with as reduced a feature set as possible for the first time, for an MVP to be published.

However, we then go through this process several times. This means that with each iteration, we learn directly from market behavior and user feedback. So we invest your money optimally.

Of course, this is not possible for every project. If you are replacing an existing system, you don't want to take any functionality away from the users. However, it probably makes sense to gradually transfer the existing features to the new system while the old solution is still available.

To summarize: The details of the implementation step are extremely individual and are perfectly adapted to your needs on a case-by-case basis.

For training courses with peripheral systems such as a CMS we create training videos and instructions that your team can watch again and again if they have any questions. With Web design projects we are also happy to support you with content creation. Through a structured handover and comprehensive documentation, we ensure that you and your team are well prepared to show your new baby to the world.

6. operation and support

After the go-live, we offer you a maintenance contract for ongoing updates, especially for security aspects. If necessary, we will provide an SLA (Service Level Agreement) and you will always have a contact person in the event of malfunctions.

In operation we rely on Cloud services with self-healing mechanisms and good monitoring to reduce downtime to an absolute minimum. This keeps your system up to date and functional at all times, requires hardly any manual intervention and allows you to concentrate on your core business. Through proactive maintenance, we ensure that everything runs smoothly.

7. further development

This is where we normally start again from the beginning. We evaluate the current status, clarify new requirements and restart the process. In line with your budget.

This is how we ensure that your digital product is constantly improved. Whether new features, adaptations to market changes or technological upgrades - we stay on the ball and continuously develop your product to adapt it to changing needs and challenges.