Process

Our Process

See exactly how Medialion delivers websites — 5 phases, honest timelines, clear client responsibilities. No mystery, no scope creep. Read the process.

How we work

We don’t do mystery-meat project management. Every engagement runs through the same five phases, with the same deliverables, the same client touchpoints, and the same honest timelines. You’ll always know what phase we’re in, what we owe you, and what we need from you to keep things moving.

A typical project runs 8 to 12 weeks from kickoff to launch. Smaller marketing sites land closer to 8. Larger builds with custom functionality, integrations, or heavy content migration push toward 12 or beyond. We’ll tell you which one you are before you sign anything.

1

Phase 1 — Discovery (1 week)

We start with a working kickoff call, not a sales deck. The goal is to understand the business behind the website: what you sell, who you sell to, who you’re up against, and what “success” actually looks like six months after launch.

What we do

  • Kickoff call with your decision-makers
  • Goals and KPIs — what the site needs to do for the business
  • Target user profile and buyer journey
  • Competitive review of 3-5 comparable sites
  • Technical constraints — existing CRM, marketing tools, hosting, integrations, compliance

What you deliver

  • Availability for a 60-90 minute kickoff
  • Access to analytics on the current site (if one exists)
  • Any brand guidelines, existing copy, and stakeholder input we should factor in

Output: a short Discovery brief that summarizes what we heard and what we’re building toward. You sign off before we move on.

2

Phase 2 — Strategy (1 week)

Now we turn the brief into a plan. This is where scope gets locked in — pages, features, tech stack, and the shape of the site.

What we do

  • Site architecture and page inventory
  • Content outline for each page (what needs to be said, in what order)
  • Tech stack decisions — CMS, hosting, third-party services
  • Confirmed timeline and milestone dates

What you deliver

  • Feedback on the sitemap within 3 business days
  • Confirmation of any integrations (CRM, email platform, booking, payments)
  • A single point of contact for approvals

Output: an approved sitemap and content plan. This becomes the blueprint the rest of the project is measured against.

3

Phase 3 — Design (2-3 weeks)

Design happens in Figma so you can click through and comment in place. We start with wireframes to get structure right before anyone argues about button color, then move to high-fidelity mockups.

What we do

  • Wireframes for key page templates
  • High-fidelity mockups in Figma (desktop and mobile)
  • 2-3 rounds of revisions built into the timeline
  • Design system components so future pages stay consistent

What you deliver

  • Consolidated feedback within 3-5 business days per round (one voice, not five conflicting ones)
  • Final logos, brand assets, and any hero photography
  • Sign-off on mockups before we start building

Output: approved designs for every page template.

4

Phase 4 — Build (3-6 weeks)

Development happens in a staging environment you can visit anytime. We check in weekly with a working link and a short update — what shipped, what’s next, what we need from you.

What we do

  • Front-end and back-end development
  • CMS setup and template building
  • Third-party integrations
  • Content loading (yours or ours, depending on scope)
  • Weekly check-in call plus written status update

What you deliver

  • Final copy and images by the agreed-upon date (see FAQ)
  • Prompt answers to questions raised in weekly check-ins
  • Access credentials for any third-party tools we’re integrating with

Output: a fully functional site on staging, content-complete, ready for QA.

5

Phase 5 — Launch and Care (1 week)

Before anything goes live, we run the whole thing through QA and a performance audit. Then we cut over.

What we do

  • Cross-browser and device QA
  • Accessibility check (WCAG 2.1 AA baseline)
  • Core Web Vitals and Lighthouse performance audit
  • SEO checks — redirects, metadata, sitemap, robots
  • Analytics and tracking setup
  • Go-live cutover with DNS coordination
  • 14-day post-launch bug-fix window included

What you deliver

  • Final sign-off on staging
  • DNS access (or your registrar contact)
  • A decision on the optional Care Plan (see below)

Output: a live website. Optionally, an ongoing Care Plan covering hosting, security updates, backups, monitoring, and a monthly pool of design and development hours.

Ready to start?

If your timeline lines up with ours and you want a partner who’ll tell you the truth about scope, book a discovery call. We’ll know within 30 minutes whether we’re a fit.