Successful good web design is an involved and time-consuming process. These strategies will help you get the best from both your web designer and your budget.
DO read the scope document carefully before signing or paying a deposit
This document protects you both. Make sure you are completely happy with the scope of the website design before you sign or pay for anything. Don’t let mismanaged expectations from either party bite you on the backside. Asking for changes to the scope after the project has commenced can lead to disappointment, communication problems and increased costs. To avoid this from ever happening, Thinking IT’s website designers will create and document the scope of the web development with you.
DO give weight to your designer’s opinion
Your web designer’s knowledge and experience can help you make decisions. Although no one knows your business like you do, Thinking IT’s designers have the insider knowledge and acumen to give you professional, informed advice because before we meet with you, we have researched your industry and competitors thoroughly.
DO put time and effort into the brief
This is your most important role in the development of your website. A vague brief results in a vague website. A good web designer will provide a thoughtful, detailed briefing template to help you collate your own thoughts and goals. More often than not, you’ll find questions in the brief you’ve never thought about before. Take the time to do so now.
DO have everything ready beforehand
Your web designer can’t build your site without the words and pictures that go on it. Don’t worry if you don’t know what you need before you start the process, because your web designer will help you sort this out. Remember to allow additional time for the project if you need to engage the services of Thinking IT’s graphic design or copywriter services.
DO stick to the agreed schedule
Like your own, our web designer’s schedule is chockers. Even if you submit something just one day late, your designer might have other commitments for the following fortnight, so the delay you thought would only set your project back by a day could cost you weeks. If you think you mightn’t have something ready on time, tell your web designer as early as you can so he / she can try to re-jig the calendar.
DON’T expect your web designer to solve your business woes
Your new website might help you look flashy and drum up new business; especially if you have included a seo package, but if your customer service is sloppy, your product underperforms or you’re forever running behind schedule, nothing your web designer can do will help. If you are updating your website with new products, because you have included a Content Management System, make sure the images are good quality. Poor quality images will not turn visitors into customers. This is a very graphic medium.
DON’T expect your web designer to be accountable to anyone other than you
It’s tempting to ask friends and relatives for their opinions to help you decide on a design, but at the end of the day, it’s your business, and you’re the one who needs to make the decision. By all means ask others for input, but the only decision you should present to your designer is the final one; and your one. This applies to staff as well. Communication should start and finish with the same 2 people. At Thinking IT the person you meet will be the project manager until completion.
DON’T assume your web designer can start today or finish tomorrow
The prep is even more important than the job itself, and it takes time! As a guide, allow a week before your web designer can start a job, and then another week for briefing and prep. Depending on its complexity, the turnaround time for the website design and web development of your new site will typically take one to four weeks.
DON’T change your mind about the design once the site is in development
Putting sufficient time and effort into the brief will help prevent this from occurring. If you do need a design element changed after the original is in development, be prepared to fork out extra cash. Unfortunately what looks like a small change to you can potentially add days of work for your developer! If this issue arises, communication is key. Chatting with your web designer will help you determine whether the changes are worth the time and money.
DON’T be afraid to be honest
If you’re unhappy about something, say so as soon as you become aware of it. That gives your designer time to resolve the issue. If you only speak up at the end, it may be too late to resolve the problem without costing more money.
At Thinking IT we offer a no obligation discussion on your website design, whether a new design, or a re-design of something you currently have, so contact Thinking IT today for a chat.
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