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The document provides guidance on planning and managing a web project. It discusses establishing requirements, issuing a request for proposal (RFP), selecting a development partner, going through phases of discovery, design, development and testing, content migration, and ongoing site management. Key phases include establishing needs upfront, vetting development firms, signing off on specifications at each stage, allowing time for testing, and planning training and support for ongoing site management. Sample budgets range from $10,000-$100,000 for development and $20,000-$100,000 annually for site management applications and hosting.

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Project Management for All: How to plan for your next Web project
Introductions Michael Weiss – CEO Imagistic Internet Software and Services Company 10 Years experience developing Web sites for Non-Profits Robert Rose – VP Product Strategy CrownPeak 10 Years working with organizations of all sizes – web infrastructure design and strategy Specialization in Internet marketing and communications
How to plan for your next Web project The Development Process What should the phases of a Web project look like? What are the deliverables? How long should they take? Most Important: How involved do you need to be? Managing Your Site Proper care and feeding of your new site Is everybody involved? Budget General budgets we're seeing for these processes Resources
The Development Process: RFP How do I get started… Start by “looking in”. What do you need? Not want, BUT REALLY need? Assemble requirements from stakeholders. Broad business strokes – not a 500 page document Out of this document comes an RFP This assumes you’re going to outsource Not terribly different if you’re not – just different audience – you should still get people committed to a timeframe and “budget”. RFP Selection Process Limit yourself to a short list of firms. Remember, a 50 page proposal from 5 firms is 250 pages of bed time reading. Request “solutions” not a feature/function matrix… You’ll have your own criteria – select a firm that’s fits your needs….
The Development Process: Discovery Then, get ready to do it all again…. Discovery You’ve missed something – guaranteed. You and your firm (or internal team) need to be on the same page about what’s going to get built. Again, not a 500 page document – but an agreed framework of solutions, and tactics. The deliverable: The Statement of Work Details the BREADTH of the scope. Top Level needs and priorities Parking Lot set up for phase 2 wishes, wants and needs Only the beginning of paperwork. No Pretty Pictures yet.
Development Process: Functional Spec. The Functional Specifications comes out of Discovery Takes the breadth of the Scope and details the DEPTH Defines the “what” is going to be built Identifies the audience for your site Identifies the browsers and platforms Identifies each piece of functionality and how they will work Includes Wire Frames, results of Content Inventory Helps to define the requirements for any software applications that will be purchased or subscribed to
The Development Process: IA Probably the most important step in Web site design Can make or break your site 6 months down the road Don’t skip this step! Firm should deliver Wire frames that detail out the function. Wireframes are not a site map – and they’re not hand-drawn. Walk through the wire frames with your partner Sign off on the wire frames – your designer will love you
The Development Process: Design Now come the pretty pictures Based on wire frames, design should go very quickly With little or no surprises (at least bad ones) Resist the urge to pick elements from each design… There’s usually a good reason… By far the most emotional and difficult phase The people who said “I don’t care about this” suddenly do Keep the cooks in the kitchen to a small group
The Development Process: Development The longest phase of the project – and least interesting (for you) What do you during this phase? Nothing….just kidding. But really, you sit back and watch the magic. Your role is to be available for reviews, questions and a little QA Software selection can also be part of this phase…
The Development Process: Typical Timeline Func Spec sign off – Development begins Integration 2-4 weeks HTML Pages Content Migration 4-6 weeks Move current site to new system (more on this later) Custom Development 4-6 weeks Build any tools, hooks, custom apps that new software cannot handle QA 4-6 weeks – CANNOT STRESS HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS Stabilization 2 months There WILL be bugs – this is software
Managing Your Web Site: Now we have it – now what? Is it a new site or a newly designed site… Most are the latter – so content migration will be a challenge? Have you budgeted the time for testing and migration of the old site into the new site design What is your partner delivering as an end deliverable You could wind up with a nicely designed set of templates and nothing to do with them.. Choosing solutions to manage your site ongoing is just as important as the design aspect CMS Solutions CRM Solutions Custom Application Development Web Site Analytics Web Hosting And so much more….
Managing Your WebSite: Migration Don’t underestimate the effort here… No matter what a vendor tells you. No, it’s not as easy as pointing a “system” at the old site. Content migration is hard – no matter what system you have or are getting… CMS Selection There are a number of solutions out there – from Open Source, to Installed solutions and Hosted… Utilize the work you’ve done to know which one is for you. Similar process to your development partner… Other Solutions for other elements will be unique to your needs In general, use “best-of-breed” solutions, rather than a software “suite”. Web 2.0 makes Internet integration easier, not harder
Managing Your WebSite: Rollout Arguably the MOST important step in your whole project Rolling out to users who will take ownership of aspects of the site is very very important Don’t give your project a bad rap – just when it’s about to succeed: 5 Things to keep in mind: Usability for all the applications for managing. Make sure that whatever solutions you pick, the interfaces are easy to use. Sometimes less features is better. Sufficient training and support. Have a plan for training and support on ALL of the applications – and how they work together. Organizational communication. Who’s responsible for what. Make sure that ongoing – everybody from IT to Marketing to Communications knows wh’s responsible for the apps Review and Iterate – The Web Site is a process – not a product make sure that ALL through your development process and your Rollout that phase two items are noted and then iterated. Start small, and grow.
Managing Your Web Site: Back To Dev When you’re ready to iterate the web site, start again… Your partner should now know the system and will be your trusted advisor. Your solutions can be plugged in and out based on the value they are creating.
Budgets Sample Development Budgets Small Project Dev: $10,000 to $50,000 Big Project Dev: $50,000 to $100,000 The bottom line…time is money. These projects take time. You can quibble on rates but hours are hours. Make sure the bids include hours estimates. This is the real apples to apples. With outsourcing and smaller shops rates can range from $20 an hour to $200 an hour. Web Site Management Application Budgets Open Source isn’t free. Site Management Application: CMS and/or CRM - $20K-$100K annually Web Analytics – Free to $500 and more annually Web Site Hosting - $50/mo to $1,500/mo and more – depends on your needs
Mike & Rob’s Top 10 Never Do This…. 10. Never think this going to take 4 weeks 9. Never think you can do this alone 8. Never skip the IA Phase 7. Never do this without an RFP 6. Never send the RFP to more than 5 firms 5. Never choose your vendor based on price alone 4. Never ask your IT Manager to manage this process this alone 3. Never start this process without a budget in mind 2. Never start this process without key stakeholders involved 1. Never hire your boss’ nephew
Q/A Rob Rose [email_address] Mike Weiss [email_address]

More Related Content

Session slides

  • 1. Project Management for All: How to plan for your next Web project
  • 2. Introductions Michael Weiss – CEO Imagistic Internet Software and Services Company 10 Years experience developing Web sites for Non-Profits Robert Rose – VP Product Strategy CrownPeak 10 Years working with organizations of all sizes – web infrastructure design and strategy Specialization in Internet marketing and communications
  • 3. How to plan for your next Web project The Development Process What should the phases of a Web project look like? What are the deliverables? How long should they take? Most Important: How involved do you need to be? Managing Your Site Proper care and feeding of your new site Is everybody involved? Budget General budgets we're seeing for these processes Resources
  • 4. The Development Process: RFP How do I get started… Start by “looking in”. What do you need? Not want, BUT REALLY need? Assemble requirements from stakeholders. Broad business strokes – not a 500 page document Out of this document comes an RFP This assumes you’re going to outsource Not terribly different if you’re not – just different audience – you should still get people committed to a timeframe and “budget”. RFP Selection Process Limit yourself to a short list of firms. Remember, a 50 page proposal from 5 firms is 250 pages of bed time reading. Request “solutions” not a feature/function matrix… You’ll have your own criteria – select a firm that’s fits your needs….
  • 5. The Development Process: Discovery Then, get ready to do it all again…. Discovery You’ve missed something – guaranteed. You and your firm (or internal team) need to be on the same page about what’s going to get built. Again, not a 500 page document – but an agreed framework of solutions, and tactics. The deliverable: The Statement of Work Details the BREADTH of the scope. Top Level needs and priorities Parking Lot set up for phase 2 wishes, wants and needs Only the beginning of paperwork. No Pretty Pictures yet.
  • 6. Development Process: Functional Spec. The Functional Specifications comes out of Discovery Takes the breadth of the Scope and details the DEPTH Defines the “what” is going to be built Identifies the audience for your site Identifies the browsers and platforms Identifies each piece of functionality and how they will work Includes Wire Frames, results of Content Inventory Helps to define the requirements for any software applications that will be purchased or subscribed to
  • 7. The Development Process: IA Probably the most important step in Web site design Can make or break your site 6 months down the road Don’t skip this step! Firm should deliver Wire frames that detail out the function. Wireframes are not a site map – and they’re not hand-drawn. Walk through the wire frames with your partner Sign off on the wire frames – your designer will love you
  • 8. The Development Process: Design Now come the pretty pictures Based on wire frames, design should go very quickly With little or no surprises (at least bad ones) Resist the urge to pick elements from each design… There’s usually a good reason… By far the most emotional and difficult phase The people who said “I don’t care about this” suddenly do Keep the cooks in the kitchen to a small group
  • 9. The Development Process: Development The longest phase of the project – and least interesting (for you) What do you during this phase? Nothing….just kidding. But really, you sit back and watch the magic. Your role is to be available for reviews, questions and a little QA Software selection can also be part of this phase…
  • 10. The Development Process: Typical Timeline Func Spec sign off – Development begins Integration 2-4 weeks HTML Pages Content Migration 4-6 weeks Move current site to new system (more on this later) Custom Development 4-6 weeks Build any tools, hooks, custom apps that new software cannot handle QA 4-6 weeks – CANNOT STRESS HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS Stabilization 2 months There WILL be bugs – this is software
  • 11. Managing Your Web Site: Now we have it – now what? Is it a new site or a newly designed site… Most are the latter – so content migration will be a challenge? Have you budgeted the time for testing and migration of the old site into the new site design What is your partner delivering as an end deliverable You could wind up with a nicely designed set of templates and nothing to do with them.. Choosing solutions to manage your site ongoing is just as important as the design aspect CMS Solutions CRM Solutions Custom Application Development Web Site Analytics Web Hosting And so much more….
  • 12. Managing Your WebSite: Migration Don’t underestimate the effort here… No matter what a vendor tells you. No, it’s not as easy as pointing a “system” at the old site. Content migration is hard – no matter what system you have or are getting… CMS Selection There are a number of solutions out there – from Open Source, to Installed solutions and Hosted… Utilize the work you’ve done to know which one is for you. Similar process to your development partner… Other Solutions for other elements will be unique to your needs In general, use “best-of-breed” solutions, rather than a software “suite”. Web 2.0 makes Internet integration easier, not harder
  • 13. Managing Your WebSite: Rollout Arguably the MOST important step in your whole project Rolling out to users who will take ownership of aspects of the site is very very important Don’t give your project a bad rap – just when it’s about to succeed: 5 Things to keep in mind: Usability for all the applications for managing. Make sure that whatever solutions you pick, the interfaces are easy to use. Sometimes less features is better. Sufficient training and support. Have a plan for training and support on ALL of the applications – and how they work together. Organizational communication. Who’s responsible for what. Make sure that ongoing – everybody from IT to Marketing to Communications knows wh’s responsible for the apps Review and Iterate – The Web Site is a process – not a product make sure that ALL through your development process and your Rollout that phase two items are noted and then iterated. Start small, and grow.
  • 14. Managing Your Web Site: Back To Dev When you’re ready to iterate the web site, start again… Your partner should now know the system and will be your trusted advisor. Your solutions can be plugged in and out based on the value they are creating.
  • 15. Budgets Sample Development Budgets Small Project Dev: $10,000 to $50,000 Big Project Dev: $50,000 to $100,000 The bottom line…time is money. These projects take time. You can quibble on rates but hours are hours. Make sure the bids include hours estimates. This is the real apples to apples. With outsourcing and smaller shops rates can range from $20 an hour to $200 an hour. Web Site Management Application Budgets Open Source isn’t free. Site Management Application: CMS and/or CRM - $20K-$100K annually Web Analytics – Free to $500 and more annually Web Site Hosting - $50/mo to $1,500/mo and more – depends on your needs
  • 16. Mike & Rob’s Top 10 Never Do This…. 10. Never think this going to take 4 weeks 9. Never think you can do this alone 8. Never skip the IA Phase 7. Never do this without an RFP 6. Never send the RFP to more than 5 firms 5. Never choose your vendor based on price alone 4. Never ask your IT Manager to manage this process this alone 3. Never start this process without a budget in mind 2. Never start this process without key stakeholders involved 1. Never hire your boss’ nephew
  • 17. Q/A Rob Rose [email_address] Mike Weiss [email_address]