Several ways on how to complete your project on time
In the mist of Covid-19 (Corona Virus), we at JDS WebDesign are hoping everyone is safe, washing your hands frequently, sneezing and coughing in your elbow, and practicing social distancing. Over the next several weeks, we are planning on blogging about how to make your website more business friendly. We will have some tutorials on our favorite plugins and features, which will make your site more efficient.
Time and Budget (which was something discussed yesterday) always seem to be missing when a newbie web designer is awarded a new project. Making sure you complete the project on time and stay within the assigned budget is critical to staying in business. Most disaster projects have a time completion or budget busting problems, having a good control of both is an underlying foundation to a successful project and business.
So what are some concepts to keep a project on schedule:
Obtain Asset early
My recommendation is to get asset during the discovery stage, which was explained in my design process. As you are determining target audience, goals and objectives, and expectation…you need to secure assets. Asset include logo, images, and content. While I prefer to hire a wordsmith, to interview team members of the project…some projects owners like to write their own content. Make sure deadlines are placed on when to expect content, and if deadlines are not meet. Then have a wordsmith come in and create the content. Make sure this (failure to provide content on time is in the contract, and what the additional cost is going to be for the wordsmith) is in the contract and discussed during discovery.
Remember no one wants a delayed project, so making sure everyone is on the same page is critical.
Set Milestones early
While I use asana, a time management software. All my projects have all the milestones in place. During the discovery process, asana is set up. Do not bog your calendar down, just put major milestones on your calendar. When you will have your demo set up? When you will have the home page set up? When a pain point solution will be designed? One on one meetings to discuss status of project. When elements are needed to keep project on schedule.
Making sure you plan ahead, and be honest with your client. If an element(s) require an outside source, then make sure you have that element deadline a few days prior to asana date. If something should go wrong, then have a conversation with your client and make sure you have a back up plan. You need to be held accountable, just like your client.
Consequences
Having consequences in contract for you and your client is important. You do not want a project with all additional cost, if your client does not meet milestones. You need to put some consequences in place, if you miss deadlines. Make sure you hold yourself accountable.
These consequences should not be viewed as punishment, but motivation to not procrastinate on elements needed to complete the project. The bottom line with most relationships is communications. You need to make sure your client knows where the project is during the entire process.
Image courtesy of Josh Newton.
JDS WebDesign is a Web Design and Brand Marketing Agency located in Marietta, Georgia. We create AWESOME on line presence for Start-ups and Influential People/Organizations. To learn more about us or how we can help you and your organization, you can contact us or schedule a meeting.
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