Developing a website is expensive and complex, so it is vital that you communicate
properly with your web developer – and that you listen to their professional advice.
The first important aspect is making sure that you have the correct documents.
These are: • Your design specification sheet and the designs your designer has created, which you have approved.
• Your technical brief, which you will work on with your developer and transform into your technical specification sheet.
• Information about your hosting and domain name arrangements.
When you meet with your developer, explain in normal language what sorts of
features and goals you want for your website, outlining as many details as possible,
and feel free to show examples. Take the time to understand the developer’s input
and suggestions, and ask them to create a technical specification sheet for the
project. Then do your homework by researching the suggestions made to make
sure you fully understand the parameters of what the developer has suggested.
Remember that a developer is a professional but may not be looking at all the
important aspects, like your target market, so be open to new ideas but keep your own view in mind.
A web developer will strive to make your website meet the following five criteria:
1. Easy to update. Ideally, your website should have a simple CM S that you can
manipulate easily and without technical expertise.
2. Quick to load. Your website must have a small enough file size so that is
will load quickly for a wide variety of people using different computers, connections and browsers.
3. Easy to find. Depending on your contract agreement, your developer will
optimise your website so that it will be found easily by a search engine. Note
that this could be a separate expense.
4. Interactive. Your developer will include interactive elements like the navigation,
links, a search feature or other additions. Your development costs will vary
depending on how many extras you want.
5. Secure. Your developer should put measures in place to protect your website
against spammers, viruses and other web risks.
Like with any other project, make sure that you clarify rates and deadlines before
you approve the work – and be prepared for unexpected delays or problems,
which can occur regularly with web development. Outline the exact outcomes and
deliverables of the project in clear terms; find out what service or maintenance
agreement – if any – is included in the cost. Keep a good documented record of all
decisions made, in case there is a dispute about an aspect of the project.
You will be given the chance to make small corrections as the project progresses,
within reason, but understand what it means when you “sign off” on something.
Signing off means that you are happy with and fully approve the feature under
discussion; after you have signed off, the element cannot be changed again
(except at considerable cost when the developer must revert the project to an
earlier phase). Be completely sure that you are happy with something before you sign off on it.
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