1. Plan and Deliver a
Successful Website Build
18th October 2011
Tuesday 23 August 2011

2. All too common -
clients and web
developers
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

3. Tuesday 23 August 2011

4. So who is to blame?
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

5. Only two parties
1. You (client)
2. The Developer
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

6. You
• don’t know what you want
• don’t know how to communicate it
• never understand what a developer is
talking about
• don’t really want to do web stuff
• can’t give it time
• have unrealistic expectations
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

7. Web Developer
• doesn’t know what you want
• is mediocre in the first place
• is either a graphic designer or a geek -
neither think/communicate like a Normal
person
• underprices the job
• has too many layers
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

8. Agenda
• Initial ideas on what you want and what
you need - realistic expectations
• Writing a specification document - format
and detail
–business and customer requirements gathering
Tuesday 23 August 2011

9. Agenda (cont.)
• Running a tender process - selecting
developers, shortlisting and interviewing
• Managing the build once a developer is
selecting
–Do you need a content strategy?
Tuesday 23 August 2011

10. ...selection of slides
from the workshop
Deciding what you want &
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

11. 2nd Challenge
• Around the time required from you
–can’t be too much. Can it?
–the web developer will be able to make
decisions on loads of the details - they are
experienced. Aren't they?
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

12. Solution
–Depending on the size of the build allow from a
third to a half of your time once the build starts
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13. 13
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14. You have to take complete
responsibility for the success
of the build project
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

15. The Tender Process
Deciding what you want &
the Build
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

16. I would recommend
• Working with a selected short-list of
developers if you can
• 5 is a good number to circulate your
document to
• 3 weeks is a good time to give them to
respond
• At least 3 to be interviewed
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

17. 40 shades of web developers
• Designers
• Geeks
• Full service agencies
Tuesday 23 August 2011

18. Graphic Design
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19. Print Design
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20. Web Design
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21. UI Design
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22. Full Service Agency
Tuesday 23 August 2011

23. Software
Tuesday 23 August 2011

24. You are looking for:
• A good to great site for themselves
• In business a couple of years is a bonus
• At least 3 to 5 people in the business
• A strong portfolio of which some are
directly relevant
• Relevant platform expertise if integration is
required
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

25. You are looking for (more):
• Communications you can understand
• Individuals you get on with - and who will
be actually working on your project
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

26. –TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS. MOSTLY
–ie if the work on their site is substandard, or
appears that way then that is what they will do for
you
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

27. You can and will change
your mind during the build
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28. Every time you do that it will:
a) cost you money
b) push out the timetable
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

29. sign off....
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

30. Sign off
• If you are following the “normal” website/
software build these are messy
• A lot of stuff gets dumped on you quickly -
with you expected to test it, consider it and
decide on it
–if you delay the build stops......
–if you rush it you will absolutely miss important
elements of it
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

31. Sign off - possible solutions
–On the initial timetabling get a week allowed (or
2, better still) for each sign off from you.
–Clear time for yourself and other internal people
to spend on the build at those times.
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

32. required from you....
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

33. Content
–The developer is building an empty solution
(usually)
–The time taken to assemble content - text,
images, white papers, videos etc etc always,
always extends the closing date of projects
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

34. Content - Solutions
–Get content delivery built into build timetable
–Use external resources if required
• photography
• freelance journalist
–Consider time for a content strategy
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

35. http://books.alistapart.com/products/the-
elements-of-content-strategy
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Tuesday 23 August 2011

36. 18th October 2011
–book here: http://iia.ie/events/event/342/plan-
and-deliver-a-successful-website/
–more on workshop presenter Keith Bohanna
here: http://www.keithbohanna.com
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Tuesday 23 August 2011