1. "Lint" Your Code:
Linting is the process of running a program that will analyze code for errors. Make sure your code is style guide compliant by using code linters. Developers know that coding gets messy and fast. Take advantage of services that help you clean up your code by pointing out problems in your HTML, CSS, or Javascript. This is a quick way to help point out potential problems before they happen.
2. Get More Eyes on the Prize:
It's likely you've been looking at this site for hours on end, it's time to get a few new perspectives. Ask coworkers, family, even friends to navigate your site so that you can get some basic user testing in. This gives you a quick and easy way to find out what is missing and broken.
3. Take a Break:
Getting closer to your launch date? Give your brain a rest by scheduling in a break time. This allows your mind to not only think creatively about your site, but to also allow a fresh perspective for spotting those minor mistakes when going through your checklist (as discussed in secret #3). Only run your pre-launch checklist when you feel that you're well rested.
4. Create a Checklist:
We all forget things and that's why we create lists. One of the easiest things to do as a web designer/developer is to create a pre-launch checklist for your website. This list should be one of the last things you look at before launching. It will help you double check things like contact forms, spelling, links, etc. throughout your web pages. Once you create your first list, after some minor customization, it can become a general guideline for all future sites as well.
Nobody is perfect, so if you do still miss a few things during launch it's not the end of the world. Just know to find them and fix them fast if you do find errors in your live site. Your project is never going to be truly complete, so keep in mind that it is an ongoing process and not just a project with a deadline. Want the experts to do the work for you? Contact Informatics today to get started on a customized, perfected site just for you.
