The first question in almost every meeting is the same: how long will it take? You can only answer honestly once you know what you are building. This article walks through the phases of a web application project and shows where time can be gained and where it gets lost. The durations are ranges from experience, not promises: a small internal tool lands at the low end, a customer portal connected to several systems at the high end.
1. Discovery: what do we actually want? (1–2 weeks)
In the first conversations we clarify how mature the idea is. Who is the application for, what process does it replace, and what happens today without it? Why is it needed now, and what is the risk if it is not built? The discovery needed for a proposal is free with us, and this is already the stage where it turns out if an off-the-shelf solution would do.
2. Scoping: exact scope, fixed price (2–4 weeks)
For complex projects, discovery is followed by scoping: we collect the requirements, sketch the main processes and screens, and turn them into a specification and a fixed-price proposal. This step saves the most time later, because requirements discovered during development are the most expensive. The scoping results are yours, whoever continues the work.
3. Brand and identity, if needed (2–4 weeks)
If you are launching a new product or service, the application needs a brand too: a name, a logo, a visual system. This can run in parallel with design and can be handled by one team, so you do not have to coordinate two.
4. UX design and prototype (4–8 weeks)
Based on the users and the processes, we design the structure of the application: wireframes, user journeys and a clickable prototype. A new type of application also needs user research; digitising a well-known process can take less.
5. Usability testing (1–2 weeks)
A few real users try the prototype on predefined tasks. What comes up here we fix in the design in an afternoon; the same fix after development would take weeks.
6. UI design (4–6 weeks)
On top of the approved structure we create the final responsive interface and component library, built on your brand. This is the raw material for the developers, and later for further development.
7. Development (8–24 weeks)
The longest phase. Its length depends on the number of features, the connected systems (ERP, CRM, payments), data migration and technology risks. AI is now part of how we code and test, so we deliver faster, but nothing goes live without human review. We work in short cycles, so every two weeks you see where the work stands.
8. Handover and launch (3–6 weeks)
You test, we fix, and meanwhile we prepare the production environment, backups and monitoring. Launch is not the end of the project.
9. Operations and further development (ongoing)
A live system has to be monitored, updated and developed. We carry it forward with the same team that built it: support with an SLA, maintenance, a monthly report and new features when needed.
How can you speed things up on your side?
- One decision maker. If one person can decide, approvals take hours instead of days.
- Clear change rules. Anything outside the specification is priced up front, so deadlines do not slip unnoticed.
- First version first. Start with what is essential; the nice-to-haves can come in the next round.
- Content on time. Late copy, data and access are the most common cause of delays.
Updated: 4 November 2026
