Website Project Management

Before you start any website or a website application, it is essential to draw a roadmap and stick to it as far as possible. Website management is a crucial, yet one of the most neglected aspect of website designing. To achieve the desired result in the stipulated time frame, it is essential to have it in place.

Here are the major steps involved in the successful implementation of a website:

Clearly Define the Scope of Work
The first step towards successful implementation of a website / web application is to understand the clients' requirements clearly. This is especially true of a web application. Have a clearly defined Scope of Work (SOW) document. Many a web applications suffer later on because of poorly created SOW documents.

A clearly defined SOW document should also incorporate the technologies that will be used to deploy the website.

List Possible Risks and Constraints
Analysis and management of risks is one of the most important aspects of a website project management. Chalk out potential areas that can create issues later on, and plan alternate strategies. Websites that require CMS are one instance where problems can arise. Typically, clients do not carefully go through the SOW document, and there might be format issues later on. Careful planning will ensure that no one is caught off guard.

Detail Content Requirements
Make a list of what you need from the client, and the format in which your web designers want them. Be very specific about versions in which you want them as well. This is especially true of logos and images. Most small and mid size companies do not have enough marketing collateral, and rely on their web designers to provide appropriate images. As a responsible web designer, you should educate the client about buying copyrighted images from stock photography sites before you deploy them on their website.

Time Lines
For a website project to be successful, it is essential for everyone involved to get the work done on time. Many times, too much delay in executing a project leads to unhappiness all around. While it is fair to expect a web design company to deliver prototypes on time, it is equally important for website owners to give timely feedback. They should appreciate that a professional web design firm will allocate resources for a specific project, and if the owner does not give timely response, they too lose on money.

Handing Over
One of the most neglected aspects of a website project is the signing off. It is very important to hand over to the client all the source code, logos, images and documents in appropriate format. Often times, clients forget to ask for this and the web designers neglect to hand it over. This can prove to be a nuisance when the client wants to make any modifications later on.