So You Want A Website -- Where Do You Begin?

Scope of Work: Your Starting Point In Developing a Website

Defining the scope of work (think of it as a map) is one the first steps in developing a Website, and it is definitely the most important.  You want to be as detailed as possible…and you want to look for attention to detail in whomever you hire. Knowing and articulating as much about what you want up front will save you from encountering delays, price adjustments, and headaches as your project matures.

A well thought through and defined scope of work helps keep designers and programmers contained and on target for the agreed upon deadline.  Here are some things to consider:

1. Do you want a custom look…something unique to you…or are you ok with utilizing a theme, which is essentially a template, for your site?  “Template” does not equal “cookie cutter” in web development; every theme can be modified and molded so it looks like no other…but starting with a theme can save money and time.
2. What do you want the site to do?  Do you want a calendar?  Do you want a blog?  Are there forms you want people to fill out?  Do you want to post photos or videos?  All of these are functions, or modules, that will need to be developed or optimized.
3. What is your timeline?  Is there a future event, or season, or sale that you want your Website to promote?  Think of your “launch strategy”.  When would be a good time to show the site to the world?
4. What about the user perspective – do you want users to have to give you information about themselves in order to access a specific area of your site?  Is there going to be any hidden content?  Users who have to log in to view certain features or perform certain functions are called “authenticated users” and each will be assigned a username and password.  Common reasons for authentication include leaving comments, filling out forms, or paying for something, as well as viewing “member only” content.  A good rule of thumb is that you don’t usually want anyone adding content to your site’s database without being authenticated…it can become a spamming nightmare.
5. What is the main message you want to convey through your site.  What products or services do you want to feature?  Will you write all your own content or will you need help with writing and editing?
6. Think about navigation…what major categories will content be grouped under (i. e. about us, services, projects). Are there specific pages you want to highlight on the front page?

While some of this might seem somewhat obvious to you, keep in mind that your web developer is not a mind reader. Being specific can only help your bottom-line and help meet your deadline. Another tip: take plenty of notes as the project progresses, and document mutual agreements while they’re still fresh in the minds of all stakeholders – it comes in handy as memories fade.

Budget

Before talking to a web developer you need to know exactly what you can afford, and you should make it clear that you have a budget. A good developer will let you know what can and can’t be done within your budget. Or, if you’ve no idea at all what Websites cost, you can always ask for a quote based on your wish list and if it ends up too high, trim your wish list a bit, or maybe a lot, taking advantage of this opportunity to rethink what’s most important as it relates to your immediate needs and goals(a good web developer can help with this as well). 

Again, it helps to know ahead of time what you want.  If you begin with a budget of this many dollars for that many features and then discover ½ way in to the construction of your site that you need e-commerce…well, it will be a lot more expensive than it would have been if the site were laid out with e-commerce in mind.  (This brings to mind the scene from Sleepless in Seattle when the woman wants a bigger fridge and they have to move the cabinets…and it will take several more weeks.)

Be wary of hourly rate quotes, especially when you haven’t provided much detail or your developer hasn’t taken the time to ask explorative questions about your wants and needs.

Designer versus Programmer: Which Makes The Best Developer

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?

So do you hire the right brained, artistically-inclined designer that will make your site look good but function poorly?  Or do you hire the left-brained, logical programmer that will make a great site that looks pretty mundane? 

The answer is that a good web development company (like ours) brings together designers and developers and writers and marketers and orchestrates a site that will be functional, beautiful, savvy, and searchable.  This is why we started our web development business to begin with…we have experienced first-hand how great design ideas can become programming nightmares; and how many programmers can lose sight of the design details in the midst of the code.

• Manny SEO Rivera's blog
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• Share