Development Environment

Location:About Us Development Environment

Overview

Professional design begins with a professional development environment. This means a sophisticated computing capability including high speed Internet access, firewalls, file servers, backup systems, test systems, and an array of different computers and software for development and testing.

Stability

Any company that has a direct connection to the Internet needs a firewall (or two) to prevent unauthorized access to the company's internal computer network. Without a firewall the company and its clients risk the disruption of its work, the destruction of files and the loss of proprietary information. Plaudit Design has installed multiple levels of security to ensure the security of your projects.

Within this fortress resides our file server with a central repository for all important files containing design and development materials related to our clients' projects. A central repository ensures that everyone is working on the same version of the files. Version control software, such as CVS, automatically maintains a complete history of changes made to every file, enabling the company and its clients to develop new versions and move forward in an orderly way while still maintaining a stable public version. Without version control on a central file server, development would be chaotic, errors rampant, and completion of tasks constantly at risk.

Security

Backups are likewise extremely important. At Plaudit Design we perform incremental backups nightly and full backups weekly. We rotate backup media to guard against media failure and keep some backup copies offsite to guard against a catastrophe such as fire, theft or mechanical failure. Any development company that neglects to follow a rigorous backup plan risks the disastrous loss of their clients' valuable data.

Clients are able to preview their sites by viewing them on our test servers before launch. After launch of a website changes continue to occur regularly. Plaudit Design makes site changes on test computers to guard against the embarrassment of publicly visible errors. Only when the client is satisfied do we transfer site updates to the live site. Also, we rely on test computers of various kinds running various different software and software versions to test websites and to discover discrepancies that result from differences between various web browsers or other software.

Development

Finally, development of a modern web project is a sophisticated activity requiring a group of people working as a team. Graphic design for websites is a specialized creative activity that involves the use of a large number of different software packages. Likewise, software development and database development are specialized technical skills totally distinct from graphical design and requiring another whole set of software packages. Only a team can maintain all the required competencies and computer skills to perform all the required functions.

At Plaudit Design we offer the personal touch of a small company but we also offer our clients the security of knowing that we perform our work within a professional development environment.

Contact Plaudit Design to receive a quote on your next project.

Please contact us for more information or a quote on your next project.