Schubert Solutions

For business owners who lack web savvy, it can be tough to explain website aspirations to a web developer.  You don’t have the expertise to create detailed plans for the site, but you’ll know the perfect website when you see it.

Businesses, small and large, bleed money through vague web development plans.  Your developer is working hard to give you what you want, but without proper instructions, they’re building your website in the dark.  It should be no surprise, then, when it takes them many tries, and plenty of billable hours, to finally get it right.

How can you avoid this web development pitfall?  Here are a few tips I’ve gleaned from watching my supremely talented web developer husband at work:

• Requirements gathering. In web development, one of the first things developers do is gather requirements. Requirements can be anything from website function to the back-end architecture.  If you want your web developer to be as efficient as possible, while also working toward the exact outcome you desire, you can provide them with an extensive list of website requirements.  This way, you ensure that your developer will not have to waste time coming to you with questions, and they won’t turn in website after website that doesn’t meet your standards.  Make sure each requirement is measurable and testable, and you will end up with a great end product (and a very happy web developer) the first time around.
• Micromanagement. Even if you do have the time and resources to micromanage your web development project, you can’t expect to have control over every little thing.  Giving your developer some space to do their work and choose the best platforms and languages for your project will ensure that you get the best possible product.  You might think that your way is the best way of producing what you want, but sometimes your web developer really does know best.  After all, that’s what they do. That’s why you hired them.
• Macromanagement. I’ve heard so many horror stories (not just through my husband) where a business spends oodles of money to get the web development they need, and end up with a product that is nothing like what they asked for.  Just like in any business, you’ll certainly see shady web developers with limited experience and understanding of web development.  Often, they’re the cheapest of the bunch.  The main problem is that business owners don’t know about web development.  That’s why they’re hiring someone to handle it.  How can they test potential developers on something they don’t know themselves?  This is where it helps to have a project manager that knows PHP from C++.  While you don’t need to lord over every detail of the project, it helps to have someone on staff that understands the technical side of development, so they can ensure that you are getting what you pay for.
• Mind over matter. Many folks think in terms of web design, but (surprisingly) design should be low on the list of website priorities.  Yes, you want a pretty site, one that is eye-catching and modern, but a web presence should function primarily as a marketing tool.  Javascript homepages and menus may look stunning, but they can be terrible for SEO.  White text on a green background is clean and gorgeous, but tough on potential customers’ eyes.  When building your site, you’ll want to focus on function first.  Once the site is a lean, mean, marketing machine, then you can decide which design elements you can incorporate to make it pretty.