In my time as a project manager for web design projects I have had the opportunity to manage projects for large international companies and manage a web design projects for small businesses learning how the process in each will always differ. There are several tips that apply to both cases but what I am concentrating my advise today is in the small business designs in order for those to have a greater chance to succeed.
The first steps that need to be taken by anyone that is starting a new web design project are:
1. When starting a new project clients need to understand the importance of being organized having some clear ideas of what they want to get out of having a website. For example some may be interested in selling online, or just providing information about their company and showing off their brand, or having the goal of building a large database of prospects. Whatever the goal is it needs to be transmitted clearly to the webdesign company.
2. Don’t expect for your new webdesign company to be responsible of any text or marketing content in the site unless it was stated otherwise when negotiating with the company. There are great copywriters out there that will specialize and concentrate on providing the best content for your site and communicating your message to the user the best way possible. This will facilitate the process for web designers. See below an example of a company that provides these services.
3. Have content ready at least a rough draft, don’t wait until the end once the design is ready to give the content to the web design team, the design will be affected and you will realize that the site should have been designed some other way to fit the content you have provided.
4. Try to be timely responsive to any comments or questions that the web design company may have in order to make the process flow continuously.
These are some ideas to make it easier when working with your web design team and these bullets tend to flow easier when working with a larger company since it might not be the first time they are involved in a process of this sort. This is why I want to dedicate small business owners a couple of regular ideas that should be considered.
1. Hoping that your site makes your company look larger than what you really are is OK but understand that the web designer will have to work with the information you provide, so go the extra mile, and take nice pictures of your product or create a slogan that can complement the design, write copy that can complement the design showing off your product or service.
2. Have your business model clear, some small business depend on the site for profits and a common mistake is to believe that the business plan or model can be defined while the site is being built but the truth is that the more clear you are from the beginning the smoother the design process will be.
3. Understand that there are projects with different budgets and wanting your site to look as great as the site of a multinational company that has probably dedicated resources to the site 24/7 can cause a strain on the web design company, because the company wants to please you but there are certain designs, 3d graphics and programming features that are not always included in an initial design.
My idea with these bullet points was to give you an eye opener of a couple of items that should be considered whenever you are entailing a web design project. Remember these are just some tips and when developing a site try to be involved in the process.
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