3 Simple Tips for How to Get the Most From Your Web Developer
Most articles I read regarding web development are written by and for developers. But if you are a client in need of a web developer then there are precious few resources to help you navigate this process. I hope my few tips from my time as a web developer can help you in this regard.
1. Have a clear goal in mind.
It’s okay to start this process without a clear idea of what your site will look like. In fact, that is how most of my projects start. A good developer will guide you through the design process using mood boards and design proposals to successively iterate until you have exactly what you want. However, any project needs a clear goal. If you bring a specific result that you want to achieve with your website, it will help the designers and developers immensely, and the final result will be enhanced. For example, you might want visitors to buy merchandise, or sign-up for a newsletter, or donate to a cause. Finding this goal and ensuring your developers are aware of it is the best way to build a truly excellent website.
2. Understand that themes can be changed much more easily than functionality.
As a web developer, I assure you that we can do anything that you ask of us. However, whether or not we can do that within the budget is another question entirely. Generally speaking, making cosmetic changes is much easier than re-working the functions of the website. Putting in a filter system to enhance the search function can be a decent amount of work, but making the search results all turn blue might take only 5 minutes. Think about a site as being like a house - it’s easier to paint the walls than replace them.
3. Help your web developer identify key stakeholders at the beginning of the project.
If there is one thing you should take away from this article, it is this. Nothing throws off a timeline or a budget like a surprise decision maker appearing at the last second. I will never forget my own experience learning this lesson. We had a site ready to be delivered. Our client was excellent, communicating well and working with us every step of the way to craft what we believed to be their dream site. But, as we were preparing to launch, they let us know that they A. had a business partner and B. that this partner needed to approve the design. I think you can see where this is heading. Said business partner did not approve of the design and we were sent back to the drawing board while crossing the finish line. The project ended up costing almost exactly twice the original budget as we had to build them, essentially, two full sites.
If you’ve made it this far, I hope you found these tips helpful, and I wish you the best of luck in having your website wishes fulfilled. Of course, Coconut Moon is always standing by ready to assist.
