Getting a website out of the door

This talk covers project management tips and tricks that will help get a website developed, approved and live. We look at the documentation, meetings and processes required to deliver a successful website with an emphasis on ensuring that the PM effort matches the job in hand. We also consider how to handle the client’s change requests when they arrive.

Transcript

1. Getting a website out of the door (aka Managing a website project) Rob Allen Day Camp 4 Developers #3 - October 2011
2. What is a website project?
3. Project stages • Pre-sales and quotation • Kick-off meetings • Planning • Designing the website • Development • Build • Managing change • Go live and closure
4. Pre-sales & quotation
5. Pre-sales process What we do: • Outline document • Quotation What the client does: • Accepts the quote and gives go-ahead • Signs contract
6. Kick-off meetings
7. Kick-off with client My chance to meet the client! • Find out what client thinks they have bought • Discuss design and scope requirements
8. Kick-off with team My attempt to motivate the team! • Excite & motivate the team about the project • Discuss design and scope requirements
9. Planning
10. Technical Requirements Specification
11. Writing the TRS • Fit to the size of the job • You have to work at getting the details • It’s up to you to ask the right questions • Use version numbers
12. What’s in a tech spec? • Purpose of site • Domain names • Browser compatibility & requirements • Site outline • Site breakdown
13. Project plan
14. Creating the plan! • Break into deliverables • Find the dependencies • Estimate how long each bit will take • Add contingency • Write it up into a nice list
15. Estimating time • Be honest - estimating just guessing! • The person doing the job creates the estimate • Get three times: best case, realistic, worst case • Pick the one you believe! • Add contingency based on risks
16. The build stage
17. Technical setup items • Development specification • Project Issues tracker • Product bug tracker
18. Visuals • Decide what you need • Do you need a style guide? • Present to client in a meeting • Revision merry-go-round is the designers problem!
19. Execution of the plan
20. Keeping track
21. Communications
22. Email • Subject line • Summary at the top • Indicate action needed • Set a due date for action
23. Meetings • Write an agenda • Minimise the number of people • Ensure everyone speaks • Keep it short! • Never overrun • Send out minutes afterwards
24. Managing change
25. Types of change • New request • Undocumented requirement
26. Change control process • Write down the request • Understand the impact • Decide whether to do it • Do the work!
27. Handling disputes • Revisit TRS • If client is right, apologise! • If not in scope: • do it anyway cos it’s the “right” thing to do • point at contract and negotiate!
28. Go live and closure
29. Go live
30. Closing the project • Check all is done • Ensure client is satisfied • Send invoice • Review project • Party!
31. Thank you feedback: http://joind.in/3798 email: rob@akrabat.com twitter: @akrabat