Are you working on a web development project with an in-house team or external to build a new website?
Is it taking longer than expected. Why is that?
The time it takes to develop a new website is never ending. When exactly is the site complete? In reality it probably never gets to that we’ve finished state purely as you should be continually adding and modifying the content as the business grows.
I’ve worked with a wide range of clients on web development projects where they are changing the website to a completely new platform and the new sites are no where near being finished. Two good examples involve a training company and an on-line retailer.
The training company have a number of pressures particularly around the constraints imposed by the current website toolset. The development of a good on-line marketing strategy is hindered by the tools being used and any development is tied up by the need to link all development to a complex Business Management System. The BMS is the sticking point and will continue to hold up the effectiveness of the website due to the desire to have it drive the website. In reality this is a great time saving feature, but when the website is already months late and doesn’t appear to be any closer, it means the business is rapidly loosing position in a very competitor market place.
The on-line retailer actually carried out in-house training and at this point the website was already 9 months late, and that was well over 12 months ago. The current website is still live and from a technical and SEO perspective, no improvements have been carried out. Again the business is trying to drive the website from an in-house business management system which keeps stock, images, purchases and product descriptions all tied together. A very valid option, but again results in the business being held back in another competitive market because the on-line presence is to weak.
In both situations there is an internal member of the team responsible for the technical aspects of the business and this primarily is one of the main reasons for the delay. That’s not due to their lack of ability but more so to the lack of knowledge within the rest of the business and their ability to be seen as the knowledge expert and no one should really question their position on how the development project should be structured.
Lesson point: Have a structured plan that doesn’t slip. Identify the key objectives and stage the development. Building the ultimate system will result in extended development time and by the time it’s in-place the internet and on-line marketing will have moved on and the site will still be out of date.
