online retail sites
powered by a bespoke cms
If you want to sell goods or services on-line via your own website, ipinx is the ideal one-stop shop, providing everything you'll need to start trading effectively; from product branding and design of your public website, to a fully bespoke Content Management System with secure payment integration.
Project managed throughout every stage of design and development, I make the whole process painless, understandable and, most importantly of all. . . affordable.
blogs & catalogues
The other most common application for a Content Management System is to create and maintain blogs, online magazines, news sites or reference catalogues that can be updated and edited by the site owner. . . with little or no technical knowledge.
It may be the case that only a small part of your website needs to be user updatable, the rest of the site being 'static', with all of the SEO benefits that static content affords (more fully described in the SEO page).
You could also consider third party applications such as Facebook or YouTube as an alternative to carry updatable, topical, information including video and customer feedback.
<< WHY I OFFER FREE ADVICE. . . >>
No two projects, or two businesses, are ever the same. . . which is why I never use 'one size fits all' CMS packages such as WordPress or Shopify. You should never have to compromise your commercial vision to fit what is available off-the-shelf, when your own bespoke software will do exactly what you need it to do.
Indeed, in some cases, a CMS may not be necessary at all. Why not call me for an informal chat and discover the full range of options. . . many of which you may not yet have considered.
full stack solutions
'Full stack' just means that everything needed to develop software (whether for a website, intranet, mobile 'App', or as a stand-alone application), is all available in one place. Click on the bonus content below for a jargon busting explanation of the technologies and coding languages that I use to provide such bespoke solutions.
<< A BREAKDOWN OF LAMP TECHNOLOGIES >>
LAMP is an acronym for; Linux, Apache MySQL & PHP.
Linux: Is simply the operating system (OS) on your server (the computer where your website 'lives'). The job of an OS is to manage connections between software applications and the server's physical resources such as CPU, memory and storage. Unlike Windows or Apple's iOS however, Linux is freely available and open source.
Apache (HTTP Server): This is free, open-source, software that delivers web content across the internet. Its role is to establish a connection between your server and the customer's browser (Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Safari, etc.), delivering files back and forth between them.
MySQL: MySQL is a fully relational database that utilises 'Structured Query Language' and is the most commonly used website database. It can store anything from a single record to an entire inventory of products for a vast online store. . . again, it is open source and free.
PHP: PHP is a programming language that runs on your web server, rather than in a customer's browser. In essence, this is the code that tells Apache what information to get from your MySQL database, and where to put it within the web page that is being displayed on the screen.
These four tried & tested technologies are the most widely supported and, collectively, will allow almost any functionality to be developed and delivered. . . if you can think it, ipinx can code it!
the development process
For most software projects I employ a Rapid Application Development (RAD) process. Quite involved, RAD is delivered in well defined phases. . . with the total project cost broken down into three 'charge points' based on the completion of each phase as described in the bonus content below.
<< DEVELOPMENT, STEP BY STEP >>
Consultation & Quotation
As always, your initial consultation is completely free of charge. Two formal quotations can then be provided, without obligation; a fixed quote for the Discovery phase of development, and an outline estimate of the final costs to completion (including an expected timeline) based upon the information you provide.
The first charge point will be the placing of an order for Discovery.
Discovery
This is the process of intellectually rationalising the system; its functionality, features, appearance, visitor dynamics, revenue models and data management etc. Discovery would normally commence with research, an analysis of competitive offerings. . . followed by an agreement on the functional shape of the finished application.
As a general rule, the longer spent in Discovery, the fewer amendments that are likely to become necessary during subsequent phases (a factor known as 'feature creep'). Your input will be crucial throughout this phase, with documentation and proofs regularly exchanged and discussed.
Discovery will conclude with the delivery of a fixed price quotation and timeline for completion of the project.
Scope and Specification
The process of designing and documenting the optimum software solution. Although Scope and Specification preparation is largely the domain of ipinx, your input will still be required from time to time, especially where issues arise that may impact upon development cost, timelines, security or future development planning.
The main benefit of the 'Rapid Application Development' (RAD) method I employ is that changes can still be made relatively easily, without additional cost, during this scoping phase. Once physical programming and coding has commenced however, any 'feature creep' will almost certainly incur additional fees and delay.
Placing an order for the preparation of your Scope & Specification, based on the fixed quotation, represents the second charge point.
Coding & programming
The physical development of the software and database has three, well defined, deliverables;
Alpha. The database and code is written and the system made available in a temporary space to test the basic user and management functionality.
Beta. The system is integrated with its front-end design (including copywriting) and made available for dynamic testing of the user and management functionality, and external system interfaces such as payment services etc.
Gamma. The system is uploaded to its own name space and registered with Search Engines, effectively opening it for public use. Gamma delivery (also referred to as sign-off) is the final development charge point, which only becomes due once your software is fully functional and tested in the real world!
