Web projects are a necessary albeit complicated part of any business owner’s life. There are headaches that can sometimes pop up during, and sometimes after – missed deadlines, sloppy design work, over spending. Headaches that not only waste the time of both you and your web developer, but can also sometimes cause unnecessary animosity.
Like most unnecessary things in life, there are ways to avoid getting into disagreements and wasted effort when working with web developers and designers. All you need is more than adequate amount of knowledge and willingness to try ways to make your life easier.
The following are tips that can help you get along with your web developer and designer by making sure you exhibit superior grasp of the project and willingness to invest time in closely working with your vendor.
Set clear expectations for the project.
The obvious first step when wanting to build something is, obviously, knowing what it is you want built. As a business owner, you already know that one of your priorities is to define your audience. But in addition to this, when embarking on a web project, you also need to define what content you want to offer to your audience, and what technical requirements you need to make your content accessible to your audience.
When drafting your request for proposal (RFP), it is vital that you include the technical specifications for your audience. For instance, your web developers or designers need to know what machines are going to be used by your audience to access the content (PCs, laptops, IPhones), what web resolution they are using, whether you need to have plug ins for your content, how fast is your audience’s internet connection, etc. You also need to anticipate what glitches might your audience face when your project is already online, and include these as well in your RFP. Include any and all things that you think might be needed for your project to be as successful as possible.
When you have everything written down, create a flowchart that includes all the mentioned information. Be as complete as possible. Include everything that you want to add to your site: contact forms, membership signup pages, anything that might have some relevance to the project.
When you’re done with your tech specs and your flow chart, finally, you need to think of your project’s timeline and budget. These are sometimes mutually exclusive and it’s not uncommon to have to spend twice your budget for the timeline you require.
Some business owners might think that this is a bit too technical for them, but as these issues are definitely going to come up at some point in the future, it’s better to just deal with them in the beginning. Including as many details as possible in your RFP is just one way of helping pave a smoother road for you and your web developer.
Money matters.
It is essential that talks about budget be done in as blunt a way as possible. Some might say the main objective for a successful project is finding a vendor or, in this case, a web developer or designer who can understand and implement exactly what you want, and one who has an impeccable track record. It doesn’t matter that they cost more than what you’re ready to spend.
However, we have to accept the fact that financial flexibility always has an influence in business decisions. If you happen to find a competent web developer who can work with the budget you’re proposing, then make sure you establish a mutually beneficial and long-lasting relationship.
When you find the right web dev for your project, though, but can’t afford the service, maybe it’s possible to work around a phased release approach.
Use CMS
It is always encouraged –if you want to have regular users – that you post fresh content. Using a content management system (CMS) allows you to post fresh content and update your site or project without the hassle of spending more money and time going back to your web developer each time.
There are a lot of free and open source CMS online, and when choosing an effective CMS solutions for your project, it is always better to ask for your web dev’s opinion first.
Prototype your projects.
Having a prototype for a project brings mutual benefits for you and your web dev. It puts you both in a position of knowing what works and what doesn’t, and can provide better end results.
Have your web dev create prototypes for the functionality you require for your project, and use these to confer with each other on ways it can be improved, and help each other find solutions to possible problems that might pop up.
Be part of the testing team.
It is, of course, to be expected that your web devs and designers spend countless hours testing and making sure your project launches without hitch and that it meets the standard you’ve set up. It will be of great help for both you and the vendor if you give them a hand during testing. This not only helps you make sure that what you want is done, but also helps the vendor meet the expectations for the project.
Mind, these tips do not mean you will not have any problems during a web project. However, knowing as much as you can and being available and an important part of the process help both you and your web developer avoid unnecessary mistakes.
We have web developers that have excellent communication skills and trained in every aspect of website development. Shoot us an email, and we’ll make sure any web project you have with us will go as smooth as possible.
