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BY JOHN TAN

15 Questions for Project Management in Website Design

One of the central tasks of web design is project management. Building a new website is like setting the foundation for a house. With so many details to deal with, planning ahead and managing the ongoing tasks is essential.

1. Has the client signed the contract?

Working without a contract is extremely risky.

2. Do you know what the final product should look like?

Having a solid plan of action, including a few diagrams, wireframes, prototypes or mock-ups, can enhance clarity.

3. Has all of the content been written?

A website without content is like a painting without a canvas; ideally, a website should be built around the content, not vice versa.

4. Does the website require any pre-built solutions?

Life can be made easier with tools such as content management systems (e.g. WordPress) and scripts, so determine what you need before you start coding.

5. Do you know what the competition offers?

Your rivals are often the best source of ideas, and knowing what they offer can help you meet visitors’ expectations.

6. Have you set appropriate deadlines?

Setting realistic deadlines and tracking your progress towards those deadlines is always important.

7. Will you need to factor in additional costs?

Websites are relatively inexpensive, and you can build a good one using free software, but still, you must be on top of any expenses you might incur.

8. Do you have the necessary skills?

Some websites are more complex than others; consider which technologies you will need to work with and whether your knowledge of them is current.

9. Have you thought about marketing?

A website without visitors is useless. Look into your options for social networking, SEO, advertising and more.

10. Will the website actually be useful (or even necessary)?

There is no point wasting your energy on a project that will have no value for end users, so start by weeding out bad ideas.

11. Is a target audience mapped out?

Knowing what kind of people you hope will visit the website will help you not only write appropriate content but design effectively, too.

12. Do you have a checklist or criteria?

Even a set of basic criteria to maintain quality control or a checklist for larger projects would help.

13. Can your host cope with the demand?

Getting the right type of hosting is important; there’s no point in having shared hosting if you’re going to be streaming gigabyte-heavy video.

14. Have you got the media?

Some websites require video, audio and special file types such as PDF documents. Accounting for assets early on lessens the risk of launch delays.

15. What features do you hope to include?

Perhaps you need to accept payment, or maybe you want a photo gallery. Whatever you need, plan ahead prior to designing the layout.

Credits: Six Revision

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