The Story testing procedure is rigorous and accounts for 20% of the entire design and build process. A thorough testing process is crucial in protecting brand equity. Consumers are increasingly unforgiving and despite the "always in beta" mantra that is currently popular, error pages, poor page presentation and unfulfilled orders will make huge dents in repeat visitor figures.

Testing can be broken down into the following four phases:

Unit testing
Individual developers test their own code during development. Cross-browser testing, usability testing, accessibility and search engine optimisation are standard parts of the build process.

Module testing
Individuals, team leaders and client representatives test units of functionality as they are built. Sites are provided on a password development server for client feedback.

Integration testing
Once all the web modules have been developed, the website moves to the next phase of the testing process, integration with third-party services such as payment, fulfilment and customer-service interfaces. 

Acceptance testing
A series of acceptance tests is agreed between the parties in writing to assess whether the website operates in accordance with specification and wireframes. Although acceptance testing is a significant stage of the process in its own right, Story would expect feedback from the client throughout the project. Indeed, this ongoing partnership is fundamental to producing a world-class website.