How we run a Magento project, start to finish
We work the same way on every store, in eight steps that take a project from a first conversation through to launch and the support that follows. It is an agile, sprint-based process we have refined since 2009. This page walks through each step and what you get from it.
One team, eight steps, no handoffs lost in the middle
At a lot of agencies a project gets passed from a discovery team to a design team to a developer to a QA team, and a little context falls out at each handover. By the end nobody quite remembers why a decision was made. We avoid that by having one team own all eight phases, so the people who planned your store are the ones who build and launch it.
Each phase has a clear output, an owner and a rough duration. You always know where the project is and what comes next. Click into any phase below to read how that step works on its own.
From an idea to a live store
Each step builds on the one before it. Skip one and you usually pay for it in the next.
Strategy
We work out the goals, the audience, the positioning and the metrics, and write the brief the rest of the build runs against. One to three weeks, led by a strategist. Read about strategy
Discovery
We audit what you have, map the competition and set measurable goals, working from evidence rather than assumptions. One to two weeks, led by a consultant. Read about discovery
Objective
We define who buys, lay the store out as wireframes and build a clickable prototype, so you can feel how it works before code. Two to three weeks, led by a UX lead. Read about objective
Project Planning
We turn the plan into sprints, milestones and a fixed-price scope, set up the boards and the rituals. One to two weeks, led by a project manager. Read about planning
UI Design
We turn the wireframes into a full visual design system, page mockups and a component library in Figma you sign off. Three to five weeks, led by the design team. Read about UI design
Development and Integration
We build the store in two-week sprints with code review on every pull request and tests on every push. Eight to fourteen weeks, led by engineering. Read about development
Launch
We run QA, performance and security checks, then cut over with a rehearsed plan and a rollback ready. One to two weeks, run by QA and DevOps. Read about launch
Maintenance
Thirty days of support are included after launch, then an ongoing plan for patches, updates, monitoring and improvements. Read about support
What this looks like week to week
You see a demo at the end of every sprint, so progress is something you watch rather than something you wait for. There is a direct line to the team rather than a ticket queue. The boards, standups and retros are open to you, so you can see what is being built and what is next.
On the engineering side, every change is reviewed before it lands and the automated tests catch regressions before they reach staging. The scope is fixed up front, and if it changes, it changes through a written change order rather than quietly.
Common questions about the process
How long does a Magento project take?
A new Magento 2 store is usually eight to fourteen weeks. A theme customisation is three to six. A migration is six to ten. Custom integrations or an enterprise build run fourteen to twenty-two. We give you a precise timeline after the discovery phase.
Fixed-price or time and materials?
Either. Fixed-price suits projects with a clear scope, which is most of them. Time and materials suits ongoing builds through the dedicated developer model.
What is your sprint cadence?
Two weeks, with a demo at the end, regular retros and daily standups. We adjust it to suit your team.
Can we change scope mid-project?
Yes, through a change order. We quote the change, you sign it, and it goes into the next sprint, so scope changes do not turn into silent schedule slips.
What happens after launch?
Thirty days of support are included for bug fixes, tweaks and performance tuning. After that there are monthly plans starting at $179 a month.
Tell us what you are building
Send us a few lines about your store and we will set up a call with a senior strategist. You will come away with a roadmap and a sensible next step.