Custom theme services
This page is for designers who build themes to order. A custom theme is a project; treat it like one.
The phases
| Phase | Deliverable | Ends when |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | A short brief: audience, goals, pages, content classes, languages | The client confirms it |
| Design drafts | Drafts of the key pages, light and dark if in scope | The client approves them |
| Build | A theme extension with its own repository (Theme extensions: start here) | All templates exist |
| Review | Rounds of feedback on a test site | Agreed rounds used or approved |
| Quality | Accessibility, CSP, widths and zoom checked (Checklist: the theme extension is ready) | Checklist passed |
| Launch | The theme on the live site | Live |
| Handover | Documentation, an editor session, the repository | Accepted |
The ownership question
Decide before you start, and write it in the contract (Contracts and terms):
- Who owns the design (the look) and the client-specific assets?
- Is the code GPL, and may you reuse general parts in other themes?
- May you show the work in your portfolio, and may you name the client?
Step by step
- Run discovery and send the brief.
- Quote the project (Pricing a custom theme project).
- Build in a repository the client can access.
- Test on a staging site that mirrors the live one.
- Hand over with a README, an editor guide and the maintenance offer.
Related pages
- Planning an Exponential project
- Customization and white-label work
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
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